Powered wheelchair warehouse left “destroyed” by devastating fire in Harlow
Firefighting crews from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service battled to extinguish a fire at the warehouse and showroom of MobilityPlus Wheelchairs in Harlow, Essex, until the early hours of Friday 31st May.
Eight crews worked to surround the fire at the industrial unit and prevent it spreading to neighbouring units. No one was injured in the blaze.
A spokesperson for Essex County Fire and Rescue Service confirmed to THIIS that the building was destroyed by the fire. Its firefighters had to extinguish the fire in sections and needed to use an aerial ladder platform to tackle the fire from above.
The fire is being considered “accidental” by Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, with the exact cause still being investigated.
Established in 2018 as a supplier of lithium-powered wheelchairs MobilityPlus serves over 30,000 customers. The firm expanded its range of products over the years to include mobility scooters, walking aids, and riser recliners.
While the cause of the fire in Harlow is at this stage unknown, products containing lithium battery technology come with unique health and safety and environmental risks.
In March a lithium battery factory in Somerset, which provides batteries for the mobility industry, was left with severe damage from a fire.