Halstead: High Street shop up in flames

Another High Street shop has gone up in flames in a town centre plagued by fires.

However, firefighters believe the blaze at The Abode, in Halstead, was down to an electrical fault rather than arson.

The interior design shop caught light just after 5am yesterday, requiring firefighters to evacuate flats above.

Firefighter Peter Robertson said: "It was quite bad. It was a fairly small fire which caused a lot of smoke damage."

Two Halstead fire engines were sent to the scene and four men in breathing apparatus broke down the door to get into the building.

The front of the shop was ruined by smoke and stock was either burned or smoke damaged, according to proprietor Maggie Collorick.

Mrs Collorick said she was shocked and upset by the fire, which came at a particularly unfortunate time, just before Christmas.

She said: "To me, it looks like a complete write-off but, obviously, the insurance people have got to come in."

However, Mrs Collorick was keen to reassure people who had orders with her that their goods would still be delivered.

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