COUNTY TIMES FIRE: Management allowed into building

AT 9PM senior members of the County Times management team were allowed into the fire-hit offices in Horsham, under the supervision of fire chiefs.

By The Newsroom

Published 23rd Sep 2011, 00:28 BST

They included the company’s finance manager Cathy Bateman as well as the editor-in-chief Gary Shipton.

Mr Shipton said: “The fire doors combined with the very swift action of the emergency services really have contained the damage.

“Although a stairwell and a smaller newsroom have suffered smoke and heat damage the bulk of the building appears largely unaffected.

“The main newsrooms, administrative offices, and advertising departments all look largely unaffected,” Mr Shipton said.

He added: “As I said earlier this evening, production of our newspapers will not be affected by tonight’s fire.”

He thanked the emergency services in person for their superb work.

“We are enormously indebted to them,” Mr Shipton said.