Thousands raised for Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary after fire

Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary Charity Shop, in Flowergate, was closed until further notice following a “devastating” fire on April 2.

Officials at the sanctuary, which cares for over 3,000 rescues animals a year, said that the shop had played a “vital” role in the organisation and its funding.

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The blaze is believed to have been caused by an electrical fault, the charity said.

The fire and smoke caused “significant damage” to the shop in Flowergate (Image: Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary)

But despite a “quick response” from emergency services, officials say the shop suffered significant damage caused by smoke.

As The Press reported, the shop was forced to close earlier this week, while an investigation began to determine the official cause.

A spokesperson for the sanctuary said in a statement: “The most important thing is that no one was hurt, and we are incredibly grateful for the quick response from the fire service and the actions taken at the time.

“Unfortunately, the impact of the damage means the shop will be closed until further notice and we are currently unable to accept donations of items for the charity shop.

“A large amount of stock has been affected and cannot be sold and some items, including electrical goods, must be removed and disposed of for safety reasons

“We are now working with our landlord and inspectors and must complete a number of safety checks before we can reopen.”

An inspection is taking place in the shop to determine the official cause of the fire (Image: Social Media)

A GoFundMe page was set up by the charity and has raised more than £3,000 in just two days.

Speaking about this in a social media post today, the sanctuary said: “We are absolutely overwhelmed by your support.

“We honestly can’t thank you enough – your kindness means everything to us and the wildlife we support.

“We are expecting significant losses so any help you can provide is really appreciated.”

The fire is thought to have been caused by an electrical fault (Image: Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary)

Officials say they are unable to enter the shop and begin cleaning until the inspection is complete – further delaying the opening.

A statement read: “We have now been advised that the shop has suffered around 20 per cent damage, mainly due to smoke, which will require a significant clean-up before we can reopen.”

The charity said aside from monetary donations, it is now in need of a “good working” hoover to help with the clean-up process.