Morrisons bakery reopened after huge blaze

A supermarket bakery has reopened just days after it was torn apart by ferocious fire.
Photographer Mikael Buck Morrisons' Rathbones bakery in Wakefield. Staff from left to right:  Zoe Austin, Jakub Dunin-Mikulski, Chris Turner, Dominic Eyckens, Filip Fryz, Mick Glover and Martyna Dawidowska.Photographer Mikael Buck Morrisons' Rathbones bakery in Wakefield. Staff from left to right:  Zoe Austin, Jakub Dunin-Mikulski, Chris Turner, Dominic Eyckens, Filip Fryz, Mick Glover and Martyna Dawidowska.
Photographer Mikael Buck Morrisons' Rathbones bakery in Wakefield. Staff from left to right: Zoe Austin, Jakub Dunin-Mikulski, Chris Turner, Dominic Eyckens, Filip Fryz, Mick Glover and Martyna Dawidowska.

The blaze destroyed part of Morrisons’ Rathbones building, on the M1 Junction 41 industrial estate in Wakefield, on Sunday July 3.

Bakers are now preparing to return to work at the site after supermarket staff worked overtime to reopen the bakery.

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And celebrity photographer Mikael Buck, who has snapped pictures of the likes of David Beckham and Sophie Ellis-Bextor, has captured the efforts of bakery staff.

The series of images taken by Mr Buck will be displayed at the site as a tribute to the team’s dedication.

David Potts, Morrisons chief executive, said: “At our heart we are food makers and shopkeepers that exist to deliver fresh food to our customers.

“I am extremely proud of my colleagues in Wakefield who epitomise the spirit of Morrisons and thank them for their heroic efforts to get our dough back in the ovens and our bread and rolls back to our customers.”

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Workers were evacuated from the Stephenson Way premises when the fire broke out last weekend and none were injured.

Three fire engines and an aerial appliance were still at the scene the followed day to help dampen down the smouldering debris.

Plumes of thick smoke billowed from the site during the blaze and could be seen for miles across Wakefield and Leeds.

West Yorkshire Police said it had ruled out any suspicious circumstances.

And the Health and Safety Executive said it was continuing its own investigation after the fire

The site employs around 300 bakers and support staff.