Kent timber frame manufacturer hit by fire

Kent-based OFP Timber Framed Homes has suffered a serious fire but its manufacturing facility escaped without damage.

Four fire appliances and a command support unit were called out to the firm’s base on Sandwich Industrial Estate in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

OFP’s office block was destroyed, causing an estimated £100,000 worth of damage but adjacent manufacturing facilities, which included two manufacturing benches, two forklifts, a three-tonne hoist, a wood burner and stock were unscathed.

Director Neil Brennan told TTJ that he thinks the company’s one-hour fire rated doors saved the factory from burning down.

“The paint on the other side of the door was not even bubbled up,” he said. “They kept the flames inside the office. It’s given me a new respect for fire doors, I can tell you.”

The company’s £12,000 server and computers with records were all destroyed. Staff are using two laptops and mobile telephones to stay in touch with customers.

“We continue to come onto the site because we don’t want to let our customers down.”

OFP has another smaller room on site it is using as a makeshift office.

Mr Brennan said it had been rough weather on Tuesday night and he wondered whether this may have caused the blaze.

The cause of the fire is being investigated