CHANDLERS Building Supplies has announced it has reopened its branch after last week’s blaze.

The warehouse, in Basin Road North, Portslade, was back in business yesterday following the devastating fire on Thursday morning.

The company opened another trading counter on the same premises so trade could continue.

The inferno ripped through one of its warehouses which had to be demolished.

The fire also damaged the other two warehouses.

Following round-the-clock efforts over the weekend, the Chandlers team has ensured all its operations are running normally.

The company confirmed that most of its building supplies were not damaged by the fire.

Andrew Cope, managing director, said: “This is a tremendous feat. The team has worked tirelessly over the past three days to get the branch ready to open again today.

“It is truly remarkable what this team has achieved in such a short period of time. We are all back in action and ready to serve customers.”

The manager of the warehouse, Nigel Williams, said he was overwhelmed by the support shown to the team during and after the fire.

He said: “Customers came in yesterday to pop in to say hello and to check what how were doing.

“I want to thank everyone and ensure that everyone knows their kind words and support were very much appreciated.”

There were no injuries reported and East Sussex Fire and Rescue service confirmed the fire is not suspicious.

However, the exact cause of the inferno is still being investigated.

Some witnesses believed it was started by a disc grinder sparking.

Environment Agency (EA) and Brighton and Hove City Council had also carried out investigations to ensure that the smoke was not toxic, and the waters were not polluted.

Last week, the council and nearby businesses assisted the fire service and Sussex Police in maintaining the site.

A spokeswoman from the EA said: “The Environment Agency supported East Sussex Fire and Rescue colleagues in response to a large blaze at a warehouse in Basin Road, Portslade last Thursday.

“We advised the Fire Service regarding pollution containment measures and we took actions to ensure that any risks to both water and air quality were minimised.

“Our monitoring continued throughout the duration of the incident. Residents were urged to follow the advice of the emergency services and keep their windows shut.

“Members of the public are encouraged to report pollution incidents to us via our 24-hour emergency hotline on 0800 807060.”