UPDATE: Cause of devastating fire deemed 'accidental' as Sleaford businesses vow to rebuild

Up to 10 fire appliances from all over the county, plus an aerial ladder platform were called to tackle the blaze in the former courthouse in Sleaford Market Place around 5.30pm.

Investigators from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue have now determined that the blaze was started accidentally in the extractor flue within the building. Firefighters in breathing apparatus went into the burning building to halt the spread of the fire in the Grade II listed building, built in the 1830s, as well as attacking it from the roof via the aerial ladder.

Station Manager with Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, Stephen Meldrum said: “Fire damage has been confined to the roof area, but there is some water damage and a breach in the roof.”

Crews returned this afternoon to remove loose tiles and debris and assess the extent of the damage using an aerial ladder platform, closing off Northgate and Southgate to vehicles.

Local drone operator Scott Burton has provided footage of the extent of the damage from above.

Sam Pavlou, who owns Waffle and Chill round the corner on Market Place, was downstairs in the Anatolia Turkish restaurant with its owners Ozkan (Ozzy) Nacar and Taner Tikiz when the alarm was raised.

She said: “We were working on their website for their big Valentines event and had no idea and no indication what was happening until a member of the public came in and told us to get out because there were flames on the roof.

"Luckily no-one was hurt and everyone is safe and, with the help of everyone pulling together we can rebuild with a lot of hard work.”

She said the community had already been so supportive with offers of help from trades people.

Sam said she Ozzy and Taner had been there until 4am when the danger had passed.

She said Ozzy had collapsed because of the stress and was treated by paramedics in her shop.

Now recovered, Ozzy said the fire service were on the scene very quickly and he was full of praise for all their efforts as well as the public who had been so kind.

"They wanted me to open up the side door to get upstairs to the roof. I went up with them but they told me it was too dangerous and sent me down again,” he said.

"We are still trying to find out what has happened. We are still stressed and devastated.”

He said it could not have come at a worse time after a difficult few months of trading when the Market Place was largely closed off while it was resurfaced and developed by the district council. “It has not been an easy year and we were hoping to have a new start.”

Sally Butler runs a fitness studio upstairs in the sessions house called Sessions At The Courthouse with Move Forward Fitness Sleaford. She posted on her business’s Facebook page that she was upstairs in the premises at the time when the alarm was raised.

She said: “Luckily I was the only one in the building and noticed smoke coming through the walls and got out, with the help of one of my lovely ladies alerting me to the roof being on fire.”

She posted that she was “devastated” having lost her “beloved studio and everything in it” to the fire.

She said classes booked are obviously cancelled: “I’ll organise any refunds in due course.

“I’ll post again about any future plans soon once I’ve started to come to terms with losing the business I’ve worked so hard to create over the last ten years.” But she pledged to bounce back.

However, her daughter Ellie Butler has launched a Gofundme fundraising page online to help her mum, so far reaching £1,530 towards a target of £1,800 in donations from well-wishers to bridge her situation in the short term.

Ellie said: “Sadly, through no fault of her own, she lost her beautiful fitness studio due to a fire at The Courthouse in Sleaford Market Place. She has lost her livelihood which she has worked so hard for.

“Sally created her studio from scratch 10 years ago and since it has been a place where people of all ages come together to move, laugh and connect across over 16 different classes weekly. For many, it has been a lifeline for both physical fitness and emotional well-being.

“Any donation will be greatly appreciated. Thank you for helping us to try and restore this essential part of our community.”