Asos starts taking orders again after fire

Online fashion retailer Asos started taking orders again this morning following a fire at its Barnsley distribution centre on Friday night, which police are investigating.

Nobody was injured in the fire, but Asos said about 20 per cent of the stock had been “compromised” by fire damage and the sprinkler systems. Asos holds £159 million of stock, of which about 70 per cent is held at Barnsley.

Asos, which stopped taking orders on Friday night, said it is fully insured for loss of stock and business interruption.

It added: “We have been advised by the South Yorkshire Police that after initial investigations, they are treating the incident as deliberate and have commenced a criminal enquiry. We are co-operating fully with this investigation.”