Praise for "absolutely fantastic" response of community to tragic Kirkby Lonsdale fire

A community leader in Kirkby Lonsdale has praised the "absolutely fantastic" response from the public to a fire that devastated the town.

Councillor Paul Cassell, chairman of Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council, also praised the emergency services and everyone who has rallied together since the fire broke out in apartments on Sunday morning.

Tributes have been paid to a local man who died in the fire, Ben Taylor, who has been described as "a cherished member of the community" whose "loss is deeply felt by all who knew him".

The fire also destroyed several homes and shops in the market town near Lancaster.

Mr Taylor's family's shop, GR and RD Taylor general store and army supplies on Market Street, was one of the premises damaged by the fire, and has since had to be demolished.

Since Sunday, people have rallied together to raise thousands of pounds for residents who lost their homes and belongings in the fire, through online fundraising pages.

A Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership has been set up to share information and help people following the fire.

LISTEN to Paul Cassell, chairman of Kirkby Lonsdale Town Council

"We're meeting twice daily and trying to resolve all the issues that we face following a disaster of this size," said Councillor Cassell.

"We are in a recovery process. We are dealing with a lot of individuals who can't get back into their homes and are being cared for.

"We are assisting businesses to reopen and make sure that Kirkby Lonsdale is open for business and welcoming people, it's imperative that we do that.

"We do face challenges with that, particularly with road closures in the area.

"We've got a lot of challenges, a lot of issues, but a lot of support.

"The general public and community of Kirkby Lonsdale has been absolutely fantastic in the way they've reacted and supported.

"The emergency services have been outstanding. Westmorland and Furness Council have been absolutely superb, they've been fantastic.

"A big thank you to the community themselves. They've been rallying round offering support, popping in to the various institutions to say they will provide food, drink, clothing. It's heartwarming to have that type of community response."

An area of the town remains cordoned off several days after the fire.

"It's a contained area," said Councillor Cassell.

"The shops are open on either side of this area, the hospitality businesses. But within the cordoned area, those businesses will remain closed and the homes and apartments are not accessible."

Pictured below, fire crews at the scene earlier this week.

"The individuals from those have been relocated.

"But Kirkby Lonsdale is open for business, we do need to trade, to support the town, to keep us running. It's still a beautiful place to come and we want to encourage as many people as possible to come.

"They will have to build some scaffolding, various things to make sure that area is safe. So it's going to be a long time before that section is opened."

Councillor Cassell also paid tribute to Mr Taylor, saying his death was "devastating for the family".

"He was well-known in the town, a very likeable person," he said.

"It's just a very sad time and it's going to take a long time to recover.

"Words can't describe how they must be feeling. The community feels for them. It's just a tragic loss."

Emergency services were called out to the fire on Main Street on Sunday at 5.45am.

Residents from nearby homes were evacuated after the authorities were alerted to the blaze in apartments opposite the Red Dragon pub.

Mr Taylor was recovered from the property where the fire started and declared dead at the scene.

Another man suffered minor injuries and was checked in hospital for potential smoke inhalation.

The cause of the fire is unknown at present.

The scene of the fire from above. Image: Penrith Fire Station

The partnership is made up of representatives from the town council, Chamber of Trade, Kirkby Lonsdale Community Interest Company, local churches, NHS Primary Care, Kirkby Lonsdale Community Cupboard CIO and local voluntary groups.

It is working closely with Westmorland and Furness Council’s Strategic Recovery Group and aims to support and share information in the community about the ongoing recovery efforts.

A community support centre has been set up at St Mary’s Church and will be in there today (December 13). This is being manned by local volunteers from 9am to 5pm daily with support from Westmorland and Furness Council officers. The centre is welcoming of people of all faiths and people with no faith. Anyone unable to visit in person can call 015242 36404.

From Saturday morning, the support centre will be situated in Kirkby Lonsdale library in Chapel Lane from 10am to 3pm.

The cordon area on Main Street runs from Avanti to Lunesdale Home and Gardens on the opposite side of the street. For your own safety no members of the public can go beyond the cordon area. There are still a number of structurally unsafe buildings and heavy machinery operating in the area.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up by Lunesdale Hall (Institute) charitable trust working with Kirkby Lonsdale Community Recovery Partnership and Cumbria Community Foundation. Anyone wishing to donate can do so HERE. 

Councillor Cassell said: "It's been set up to assist with people who have been dispersed from their homes, to assist businsses and employees who now have got no work and for some of them they'll have no work until well after Christmas. It's to support a lot of hardship from the fire."

The page has raised more than £22,000 to date.

Bus services are running as normal.

Parking in Westmorland and Furness Council-run car parks – New Road 1, New Road 2 and Market Square – will be free to use until the end of December.

Events by Shop Small will showcase 35 Kirkby Lonsdale businesses impacted by the fire, and Christmas Market stall holders affected by the cancellation of the event. There will be an opportunity to trade at a Late Night Shop Small event at Junction 36 Auction Mart at Crooklands on Wednesday, 18 December, from 6pm to 8pm.

The affected businesses can attend free of charge. Entry is also free for anyone wanting to go along and it would be wonderful if people could support these local businesses at this most difficult time

A drop-in public meeting will take place on Friday evening in the Lunesdale Hall at 5.30pm. All welcome to hear updates and ask questions.