House fire on Coldharbour Lane Brixton, opposite Barrier Block

[editor]

Four fire appliances in attendance, plus police and several ambulances.

Fire looks to be out now. More later.

 

[editor]

Fire looks out, but there's five fire engines, three paramedics, two police cars, one police van and one unmarked police car on the scene.

 

[editor]

Still loads of activity. The house is, shall we say, well known to locals because of the lady occupant (she started a fire outside her window a few days ago) but she thankfully didn't appear to have been in.

 

[editor]

Some photos. There's still lots of emergency services on the scene, but it looks like no one's been hurt (apart from what looked like a small dog or a cat, but I can't be sure).

The emergency services did a fantastic job tonight. Very professional.

 

[Gramsci]

The Police had building taped off this morning. So I dont know if anyone was hurt.

 

[OpalFruit]

A policeman on guard at 9am today.

 

[shakespearegirl]

London Fire Brigade website says they rescued a dog, no humans mentioned

 

[editor]

London Fire Brigade website says they rescued a dog, no humans mentioned

Ah, so it was a dog. It didn't look in good shape.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I did wonder whaty was going on on my way home.

 

[editor]

Just went past it - the place looks pretty burnt out inside and there's an awful lot of people with clipboards going in and out.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'm saddened but not surprised. She's been very erratic and with her history of setting fires and generally quite dangerous behaviour, I will be saddened but not surprised if she set this fire.

 

[CH1]

Pity what this property has come to. Used to be GF Fell Electrical shop - the original working class Tory. Read the Times whilst selling light bulbs, cassette tapes etc to the masses of Brixton at half the price of Woolworths or Tescos. Was so popular in the trade that when he was cleaned out in the 1995 riot, Duraty's of Camberwell (now also closed) restocked him as a goodwill gesture. Sold the place off for £99,000 in 1997 when Lambeth Council pursued him for business rates which he considered unfairly assessed. The new owners seemed to have totally cocked up their development potential here!
P.S. Don't know if it is now destroyed - but George had an incredible striking mural on the back wall inside his shop. He apparently used to trade with Sri Lankans, and they did a picture of a Buddhist parade with a holy elephant in Ceylon. He used to dramatically sweep back a partition curtain to show it off, if asked.

 

[wemakeyousoundb]

I remember those cheap tapes, I'd completely forgotten about that shop

 

[bluestreak]

another wonderful piece of brixton history, cheers CH1.

editor, is this the woman you've had trouble with before? if so, at least this might have solved your problem with her.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Well, he wasn't the only one to have trouble with her by any means. There was a pensioner round here that she hit when having one of her psychotic ranting episodes.

 

[editor]

I remember the old tape shop very well indeed. The fella was way old school and wore a proper white shop coat too!