THE Access Self Storage warehouse consumed by fire will need to be fully demolished, the owners have confirmed.

A blaze broke out at the Byfleet industrial building during the evening of Thursday 18 May, with firefighters at the scene in Oyster Lane for several days, working on the ground and from aerial platforms to contain the inferno.

The building was left a blackened wreck, with more than 480 clients who rented units facing the likelihood that they have lost all their possessions to the fire.

"Woking Council Building Control have now completed their inspection of the site and advised that due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire, the building is deemed a dangerous structure," said a spokesperson for Access Self Storage. "Regrettably, it will need to be demolished.

"We fully appreciate how upsetting this news is for our customers and we are now issuing claim forms to customers with Contents Protection. The investigation as to the cause of the fire continues.

"There are currently three independent and external fire investigators working on the incident. These include the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service which is looking at regulatory matters, the cause and fire safety, as well as two external investigators representing the building and contents insurers. Their investigations are all ongoing," they added.

"Thankfully, there were no casualties as a result of the fire, and we would like to extend our gratitude to Surrey Fire Brigade for their exceptional service in response to this incident.

"While we are focused on progressing matters as quickly as possible, the safety of customers and staff is paramount. We thank everyone for their patience while we allow the relevant authorities to complete their investigations and inspections.

"Our thoughts and priorities are with our customers. Our team have been contacting customers since 19 May and should customers have additional questions they can email [email protected] or call 0161 425 7721."