A small fire at MMD in Portsmouth is reported by staff to have had no effect on bananas being stored at the company’s warehouse in the city’s Flathouse Quay.

Fire crews spent more than three hours at the building this morning, after it was enveloped with thick smoke from a malfunctioning extraction unit.

It was feared initially that the store of bananas would be damaged, but a company spokesman told FPJ: “There was more smoke than actual fire and it looked far worse than it was. The surveyors are looking at it, but it appears there has been no damage to the fruit and no long-term damage.”

A workman raised the alarm just before 1am today. The extraction units used to cool the bananas were closed down as investigations took place but MMD is satisfied smoke did not penetrate plastic covers.

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