A fierce blaze has torn through one of Cardiff’s most historic family businesses, Fiddes & Son Ltd, which has been a fixture in the Welsh capital for over a century. The fire broke out late on Monday night, razing significant parts of the company’s Brindley Road premises in Leckwith and prompting a large emergency response from services across South Wales.
Authorities were alerted to the incident just before 11pm, as staff working nearby reported hearing an explosion from the Fiddes & Son industrial unit. Emergency services arrived promptly on the scene, only to find flames swiftly consuming a sizeable section of the site, including the storeroom where the fire is believed to have originated.
In an extensive overnight operation, approximately 50 firefighters tackled the inferno. Crews and appliances from Cardiff Central, Penarth, Roath, and Ely rushed to the site, employing aerial platforms, water bowsers, and even a drone to assess and manage the situation. Despite the scale of the disaster, no injuries have been reported, as the premises were unoccupied at the time.
Founded in the early 1900s, Fiddes & Son Ltd has been run by the same family for four generations, earning a reputation as a respected producer of wood and floor finishes, most notably its much-prized Fiddes Wax. The firm’s heritage has made this incident particularly poignant, with community members describing the loss as “devastating” both on the streets and across local social media.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) confirmed details of their response, emphasising the complexity of the operation due to the industrial nature of the site and the chemical products stored within. “Five appliances from Cardiff Central, Penarth, Roath, and Ely attended the incident. Given the site’s nature, our chemical response unit was also deployed as a precaution,” a spokesperson said. Their statement added that the “stop” message, indicating the fire was under control, was not received until nearly 4am, with crews remaining at the site well into the following day to ensure public safety.
The impact on local infrastructure was immediate. South Wales Police worked in tandem with the fire service, closing significant roads including Penarth Road, the A4232, and Hadfield Road, as the extensive smoke made driving hazardous. Local households were urged to keep their windows and doors shut overnight to avoid possible smoke inhalation, a reminder of the broader dangers presented by industrial fires.
“The roads in the surrounding area remained closed for several hours as a precautionary measure,” a South Wales Police spokesperson explained. These closures led to travel disruptions well into Tuesday afternoon as emergency staff continued their safety checks and cleanup operations.
The blaze has prompted an outpouring of support for the Fiddes family and their employees, many of whom have spent years working at the landmark business. Messages on local community forums and Facebook groups have reflected a shared sense of loss, with residents recalling the company’s integral role in the economic and social fabric of Cardiff.
Investigations are ongoing into the precise cause of the fire, with early indications suggesting that the initial explosion originated in a storeroom containing industrial materials. Authorities have yet to determine whether the incident was the result of an accident or if any external factors contributed to the explosion.
As the community awaits answers, the resilience of both the Fiddes family and Cardiff at large remains clear. The fate of the business and the future of its operations are now a focus for both the family and local officials, with many expressing hope that Fiddes & Son can recover from this significant setback and continue its remarkable century-long legacy in the capital.