Man in hospital after huge blaze destroys Doncaster ice cream van workshop
Six fire crews tackled the blaze which could be seen across Doncaster at its height
A man is in hospital after a huge blaze which wrecked a Doncaster ice cream van renovation workshop, with bosses pledging to come back stronger after the fire which could be seen across the city.
Six fire crews tackled the flames at Royal Conversion in Cross Bank yesterday afternoon, with explosions reported and a huge plume of black smoke from the inferno seen across Doncaster.
The firm, run by Antonio Solaro, designs and manufactures ice cream vans - and a crowdfunding page has been set up to help the firm get back on its feet.
You can donate at the page, which can be found HERE
Antonio described the blaze as “devastating” and said several vehicles, tools and a large amount of stock had been destroyed in the blaze, adding: “Thankfully, no lives were lost.
“However, one of our team is in hospital after trying to save the workshop.
“Our thoughts are with him and his family, and we are hoping for his full and speedy recovery. Everything else can be replaced. Our people cannot.
“Royal Conversion is a business we have built with years of hard work, sacrifice and pride.
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“Seeing so much of that work destroyed has been heartbreaking. But we are determined to rebuild.
“We are fortunate to have five other units available to work from.
“We have already contacted suppliers, replacement stock is on the way, and we are reorganising our operations to get our team working again and move our customers’ builds forward.
“We are still assessing the full extent of the damage. We will share updates as we understand the losses, clarify the insurance position and put donations to use, so supporters can see the difference their help is making.
“The calls, messages and offers of support have meant more than we can explain. There have been too many to answer individually, but please know that we are deeply grateful to every one of you.
“This fire has taken a great deal from us, but it has not taken our determination. With our team, our customers and our community beside us, we will rebuild and come back stronger.”
“This is a setback, not a stop.”
At the height of the fire, residents were asked to keep doors and windows closed.