Carvers Builders Merchants in Wolverhampton has suffered a major fire.
Eighteen firecrews fought the blaze at Carvers’ main Springfield site yesterday, which resulted in the roof of the two-storey building completely collapsing.
A huge plume of smoke could be seen rising over Wolverhampton town centre and a 200m exclusion zone was put in place and a nearby school decided to close as a result.
A BBC report quotes firecrews as suggesting the blaze may have been caused by a wood-burning stove.
Owner Henry Carver was quoted as saying he thought the fire started in the timber area. He said everything had been lost in the fire but he vowed the company would be rebuilt.
Carvers’ Neachells Lane site is open and will be operating a timber service only.
The business was established in Wolverhampton 115 years ago.
Messages of support for Carvers have been posted on the website of local newspaper the Express & Star.
“If I would ever be asked to name a business in Wolverhampton the first one to always come to mind would be Carvers,” wrote one person. “Carvers is Wolverhampton, and the City and its public must do everything they can to get it back on its feet.”
