Broxburn Scotmid closes after two days due to fire

A BLAZE has forced the closure of a new Scotmid '“ just two days after its grand opening.
The new Scotmid on East Mains Street, Broxburn, cannot be  used due to a fire. Picture: Toby WilliamsThe new Scotmid on East Mains Street, Broxburn, cannot be  used due to a fire. Picture: Toby Williams
The new Scotmid on East Mains Street, Broxburn, cannot be used due to a fire. Picture: Toby Williams

The 7000sq ft store in Broxburn – which only opened its doors for the first time on Friday – has temporarily shut after the fire on Sunday night caused “significant smoke damage”.

Scotmid then reopened its old store – also in East Main Street – where it had been based for more than two decades before the move to new premises.

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The store was closed at the time of the late-night fire and none of the 52 workers was injured.

A spokeswoman from the fire service confirmed that the blaze was “non-suspicious” and had started on the building’s ground floor.

Fire investigators are still probing the cause of the blaze, but it is understood that it started in a commercial coffee machine on the shop floor.

Aidan O’Sullivan, Scotmid’s Broxburn store manager, said: “While it is disappointing that this should happen to such a new store, it is more important that our staff and customers are safe and well, and were never at risk. Our adjacent store on East Main Street is just down the road and is already open for business, meaning we can continue to serve the local community as normal.

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“An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently under way by the fire service.”

Scotmid said that the old store has already been restocked and been fitted with an internal cash machine.

It will remain open until repairs to the new store are completed over the coming weeks, though retail chiefs were unable to provide an exact date.

Mr O’Sullivan added: “There was great anticipation about the new Scotmid store in Broxburn last week and we will do all we can to reopen it as quickly as possible.”

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Scotmid was unable to provide an estimate of the cost of the damage until loss adjusters – who were due to visit the building yesterday – had completed their assessments.

A spokeswoman for the cooperative also declined to reveal the cost of the recent refurbishment.

Broxburn Main Street was closed to traffic and pedestrians from 11pm on Sunday as crews using high-pressure hose reel jets battled the blaze, which was described as “substantial”.

However, it is understood that no structural damage was caused to the shop.

Six fire appliances were scrambled to the scene and the blaze was finally extinguished at 12.30am on Monday.

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