WORTHING EVACUATION: Neighbours settle in at rest centre '“ pictures and map

Many residents were taken to Worthing Leisure Centre after being told to leave their homes in Canterbury Road and the surrounding areas today (Thursday, December 3).

Firefighters and police are still on the scene dealing with the fire at an industrial unit in Friar Walk, and a 200 metre cordon is still in place as a precaution in case welding equipment, including acetylene cylinders, explodes.

See a map of the exclusion zone by clicking here.

Around 80 people went along to the leisure centre, in Shaftesbury Avenue, where they were offered tea and coffee and bacon rolls as the news of the fire and evacuation started to set in.

Geoffrey and Mary Freeman live in nearby Lincoln Road and were woken up at 6.30am.

Grabbed dogs

Geoffrey, 61, said: "I answered the door to the police who said we had to leave immediately. It was quite scary really because the first thing you think when you see a policeman at the door is that there might have been a death in the family.

"We were told there was a possibility of gas cylinders exploding and that it was for everyone's safety that we left as soon as possible."

The couple, who were both on days off from work, quickly got dressed and grabbed their dogs Poppy and Ebony.

Mary, 66, said: "I also grabbed the passports and the house insurance just in case."

School uniform

The Petretta family, who live in Canterbury Road, were so quick to leave their homes that mum Mandy and 15-year-old Emily were still in their pyjamas.

Mandy, 45, said: "It all happened so quickly. I just ran up the stairs and got the kids out."

Mandy made sure she didn't forget some vital items '“ Emily and 12-year-old Alisha's Worthing High school uniforms and her mobile phone.

Both girls hope the return to school this afternoon, especially Emily who has a science exam she is keen to sit.

Mandy added: "We're quite relaxed about it. It is a precaution and we're being well looked after. We are just going with the flow."

Emergency services

Duncan Anderson, the manager of the leisure centre has been running the rest centre on behalf of Worthing Council.

He said: "I got a call just after 3am and came straight here from Littlehampton. People started arriving at 4am and were given bands to say they were in the rest centre."

Duncan added that he and people from other services, such as the Red Cross, the fire services, nurses, the police and the county council, were holding regular meetings and planning ahead.

He said: "At 2pm we will be looking at overnight arrangements in case the people cannot go back to their homes. We will look at b&bs and bringing bedding here to the leisure centre."

Read the first breaking news story here.

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