Fire has ravaged a building at International Cat Care’s headquarters in Wiltshire early this morning (Tuesday).
The property adjoining the charity’s Tisbury HQ and its offices were unoccupied at the time and no-one was hurt, but both have suffered considerable damage – the full extent of which is still unknown.
The cause of the fire is under investigation and International Cat Care is working closely with the fire service and local agencies.
A spokesman said: “While this is a major disruption, we’re fortunate that, through our covid-19 contingency planning, we’re able to continue operations remotely and deliver online resources to provide as normal a service as possible.”
“We’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service for their swift action in tackling the fire and to our landlords, the Fonthill Estate, as well as our neighbours, Messums and The National Trust, for their support. We look forward to sharing further news when we know more.”
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
The Fire Service was alerted by a nearby resident and arrived at 4.46am. Although investigations are ongoing, it is understood that the fire may have started in The Mess, a café located on the ground floor below a section of the charity’s office.
There is structural damage to the building and much of the office contents have been destroyed by fire or smoke and water damage.
The charity hopes to return to the building in time but until the full extent of the damage is ascertained, it cannot predict when this will be. In the meantime, an alternative short-term solution will be found.
The full extent of the loss is as yet unknown and work is under way on a full inventory to establish this. The IT servers have been severely damaged, although these are regularly backed up and merchandise is generally held in separate storage.
International Cat Care (iCatCare) is a charity dedicated to improving the health and welfare of cats worldwide.
