Overview
- Fire crews from East Sussex and West Sussex responded to the blaze on Tuesday June 16 after calls at 3.46am and contained the fire using hoses, three main jets, cutting away and positive-pressure ventilation.
- At the height of the incident up to 10 fire appliances attended and firefighters spent hours damping down hot spots before the immediate emergency response was scaled down.
- No people were injured and ambulance crews were stood down after no patients were reported, but a police cordon and road closures around Nevill Road caused local disruption through the morning.
- Waitrose said the fire started in a warehouse chiller, thanked emergency services, confirmed nearby branches remain open, and said the Hove shop will reopen only when it is declared safe.
- Authorities say an investigation into the exact cause is under way and officials will assess the extent of damage and any follow-on repairs before allowing the store to resume normal trading.