After surviving 60 years of habitation and recent attempts by the council to demolish it, a prefab building in South London has succumbed to fire.
Fortunately, the damage has been confined to the front bedroom of the prefab home, but as it is now the home of the prefab museum, the fire destroyed some equipment and art work. Also, the wall and ceiling were damaged.
Although the damage from the flames was confined to the bedroom, smoke damage has covered every surface in the other rooms.
After fighting to get the museum opened, then fund raising to keep it open in the face of persistent attempts to demolish the rest of the estate, it has been quite a blow for the organisers.
The museum is closed until further notice while they assess what caused the fire and the cost of repairs.
Photo by Elisabeth Blanchet
What a shame. We enjoyed our visit last spring.
A shame, indeed. My childhood home in Blackheath was opposite a pre-fab estate.
These buildings have lasted a lot longer than they were supposed to, and I doubt the modern new builds will have their longevity.