Pop-up practice: Dealing with disaster

‘The firefighters broke into our roof and removed a window to flood the building. That’s what they had to do to contain the fire.’ Taank Optometrists, an award-winning practice in Cambridge, occupies a building in a row of terraced shops. On July 15, 2019, late at night, a fire started in an adjacent electrical and hardware store. As the fire grew and threatened to roar out of control firefighters flooded Taank Optometrists to prevent the blaze spreading.

Anjana Taank, owner and head optometrist of the practice, was informed when the fire broke out. ‘The fire was so huge that the firefighters just had no option,’ explained Taank. ‘They flooded our building from the roof and through the upper-floor windows for 12 hours or more. It contained the fire very effectively, but ultimately left us with severe water damage on every floor.’