Children's charity loses everything in huge fire

A children's foundation says it is devastated aft losing “absolutely everything” successful a ample fire.

The Magic Cottage, which supports children with further needs and life-limiting illnesses, was the epicentre of the blaze which broke retired successful Abergavenny, Monmouthshire, connected Sunday night.

More than 100 firefighters were called to the country connected Frogmore Street and astir 12 residents had to permission their homes.

Lesley Reynolds, the charity’s manager of operations, thanked crews for “valiantly battling the inferno with an unthinkable exigency program successful place”.

But contempt the squad endeavour, she added, the “old, iconic gathering could not beryllium saved”.

The enactment of shops affected by the occurrence was successful the municipality centre, and residents said the nonaccomplishment would beryllium felt greatly by the community.

The Magic Cottage had taken implicit the portion past year, which was antecedently occupied for astir a period by family-run section store Richards of Abergavenny.

Ms Reynolds said the team’s thoughts were with each those affected, including the building’s proprietor Alan Griffiths, and thanked the assemblage and her unit for their unwavering support.

“The adjacent fewer months volition beryllium a clip of uncertainty for america arsenic a charity, nevertheless we volition bash our precise champion to support offering the assistance and enactment that we springiness to our Magic families, schools and hospitals,” she said.

Firefighters utilized 4 h2o bowsers, 2 aerial ladder platforms, and a precocious measurement pump to tackle the flames.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the occurrence caused the archetypal and 2nd floors and extortion of the gathering to illness and a "thorough investigation" alongside Gwent Police transgression country investigators would beryllium carried retired to found however the outbreak began.

Police added the ample cordon encompassing respective adjacent streets remained successful spot aft the blaze was extinguished owed to ongoing information concerns, but this would beryllium continually reviewed and adapted by experts.