A SIGNFICANT blaze that led to the collapse of the roof of a former primary school in west Wales occurred merely two weeks after the discovery of a substantial cannabis farm valued at up to £2 million within the same building.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene on Marble Terrace in Llandysul, Ceredigion, early on Wednesday morning (17 July) after reports of a large fire. Crews from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the building, previously a primary school and later a workshop known as Teifi Harps, at around 7.40am. Upon arrival, the building was already “well alight,” prompting an extensive firefighting operation that lasted approximately six hours.

A spokesperson for the fire service detailed the response, stating: “At 7.40am on Wednesday, crews from Llandysul, Newcastle Emlyn, Lampeter, New Quay, Port Talbot, Aberystwyth, and Carmarthen Fire Stations were called to an incident in Llandysul. Crews responded to a two-storey disused building measuring approximately 30m x 15m that was well alight and fully involved in fire. Crews utilised four hose reel jets, one main jet, one turntable ladder appliance, one water bowser and small gear to extinguish the fire. The building has been significantly damaged by the fire, with the roof structure collapsing internally.”

The fire has caused considerable damage to a building that has been a landmark in the village for generations. Fire crews made the area safe and left the scene by 1.40pm. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and an investigation has been launched.

This incident follows a police raid on the same building just two weeks prior. On 4 July, officers conducted a stop check on a car travelling through Carmarthenshire, uncovering five suitcases filled with cannabis. Further investigations led police to the disused school in Llandysul, where they discovered approximately 1,500 cannabis plants in various stages of growth across two storeys.

Police estimated the street value of the seized cannabis bud and plants to be nearly £2 million. Following the raid, two men, Alfred Perkola, aged 43, from Ealing in London, and Adli Gjegjaj, aged 25, from Salford, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to drug offences.

The police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police was called to a report of a fire at a property on Penwalle Road, Llandysul at about 7.50am, Wednesday, 17^th July 2024.

“The fire has been extinguished however the damage to the property is extensive and it is unsafe to enter.

“Officers will be working with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service investigators to establish the cause of the fire which is currently being treated as unexplained.”  

An appeal has bee launched, police have asked that anyone with information that could help officers with their investigation is asked to report it to Dyfed-Powys Police, either online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

Quote reference:  50 of the 17th

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.

Images: Provided by the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service