Cause of Rasen fire still unknown

Mattu’s Premier Store, Colebrook School of Dance and several residential flats were gutted by fire in the early hours of Friday (May 24).

Jinny Mattu says he is still no closer to knowing what started the blaze in the Union Street store - but he says trade is ‘as good as can be’ in his temporary base, the former Starbucks bakery.

And Jinny has thanked customers for showing their support

He said: “They’re [fire investigators] still looking around - because of the scale of what’s happened they’ve got to be as sure as they can.

“We’re still here [at the former Starbucks Bakery] - it’s as good as it can be, we’re just thankful that we have a place to trade.

“If we didn’t have this I don’t know where we would have gone.

“We just got lucky that Richard Starbuck offered this place to us, especially being across the road.

“The big thing is our regulars have come back and all wished us well.

“They’re showing their support.”

Residents have now raised £760 to support the Mattu family and Jinny says he is ‘shocked’.

He said: “We’re shocked [at how much money has been raised].

“The fact that someone has done this from the kindness of their heart… it’s overwhelming.

“Everyone’s pulled together and offered their money.

“We live in very hard times, it’s wonderful [that people have pulled together], it’s all that we could ever have wished for.

“It shows that there are a lot of good people in this world.”

There is still time to make a donation to support the Mattu family. Go to justgiving.com and search ‘Market Rasen’.

Another fund - also available by searching ‘Market Rasen’ on justgiving.com - is raising money to support all Union Street businesses and residents affected by the fire. So far this has raised £175.