# Cane Hill: Admin on fire



## Simon

I've just been phoned by Marlon; Cane Hill's Administration block is currently burning down. 

What a waste.

He's taking lots of pictures at the moment, so the damage will be online later.

All the best,
Simon


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## dangerous dave

thought this may happen strange the only listed part goes up in smoke


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## krela

dangerous dave said:


> thought this may happen strange the only listed part goes up in smoke



Shocker =/


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## professor frink

dangerous dave said:


> thought this may happen strange the only listed part goes up in smoke



Not the first time crap like this has happened. 

This news sucks.


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## mookster

West Park being even more raped by contractors, Cane Hill admin on fire....a really shit day!

Wasn't the admin block going to have to be demolished anyway because of the huge hole blown in the rear of it which compromised the structure?


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## Bryant

Currently on Farthing Down (the ridge opposite) looks like the centre and right-side of Admin Block has taken the brunt of the damage, the left-side looks ok. Hopefully the Chapel has escaped unscathed. Whole centre of Coulsdon and surrounding roads are closed as firemen pump water from the mains located there. A very sad day.


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## krela

I wonder if we'll see those immortal words 'A group of youths were seen inside the building shortly before the fire was reported' in the media tonight, a sure sign that it's an inside job.


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## mookster

Because of the damage to the admin block the developers didn't want it, going by what my friend in the know has said. The chapel will have been spared because that is in sound condition and easily convertable. Definite inside job. It was listed so the easiest way to get rid of it was by fire.


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## tumbles

krela said:


> I wonder if we'll see those immortal words 'A group of youths were seen inside the building shortly before the fire was reported' in the media tonight, a sure sign that it's an inside job.



It started at 8am.. so yep sounds a bit of a 'Denbigh' doesn't it.


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## dangerous dave

as soon as i found out that was my first thought


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## tumbles

People who've been up there say just the facade of the front is left, the rest has gone


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## klempner69

tumbles said:


> It started at 8am.. so yep sounds a bit of a 'Denbigh' doesn't it.



You`re all so cynical,why, a developer just wouldnt do that.


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## Incognito

klempner69 said:


> You`re all so cynical,why, a developer just wouldnt do that.



I agree they wouldn't do it. Our local council were refused planning permission for an old bus station near us, 2 days later that went up in smoke, now would say the council arranged that (Cough cough) or just a coincidence lol


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## tumbles

Mid Wales will be next.. if it's not granted a change of use planning wise.


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## Krypton

Denbigh - was that down to Yvette - everyones favourite derelict building whore...


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## sick*

ive uploaded a couple of pictures to www.urbansickness.co.uk on the front page of the damage


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## tumbles

Krypton said:


> Denbigh - was that down to Yvette - everyones favourite derelict building whore...



Not directly, but the appearance on MHL brought a lot of people saying the hall should be saved.. a week later and 'oh dear'


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## Krypton

tumbles said:


> Not directly, but the appearance on MHL brought a lot of people saying the hall should be saved.. a week later and 'oh dear'



I stand by what i said - stupid bitch


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## King Al

A quick shot I got earlier:












I'm sure more will be added later... she was still very much on fire, floors on the right wing are gone, the whole of admin will just be a shell.

Looks like the fire was started in the basement and seems to have spread very fast and evenly across the building. The youths of today are getting very efficient at this arson business.


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## klempner69

Now this really is a sad day..funny how there seems to be a fooked piece of plant on bricks out front ready for the insurance claim to be filled in...cynical or wot...cheers Al.


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## Incognito

klempner69 said:


> Now this really is a sad day..funny how there seems to be a fooked piece of plant on bricks out front ready for the insurance claim to be filled in...cynical or wot...cheers Al.



I was just thinking that, clearly they didn't want it being moved, either that or its a very rough area lol


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## sick*

that truck out the front has been there ages, pikies nicked the wheels so it cant be moved


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## LulaTaHula

I have no words. I am just very, very sad about this.


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## Alansworld

I'm saddened. I've always thought of Cane Hill as the ultimate in urban exploration, somewhere I've long aspired to visiting.

A


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## Foxylady

klempner69 said:


> Now this really is a sad day...


I couldn't agree more. Asylums aren't my cup of tea but even so, the place was iconic. 
Is it my monitor, or are most of those firemen just hanging around and not doing anything?


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## Incognito

Foxylady said:


> I couldn't agree more. Asylums aren't my cup of tea but even so, the place was iconic.
> Is it my monitor, or are most of those firemen just hanging around and not doing anything?



there isn't much they can do, they can only dowse it, they aren't likely to be heading in unless someone reported someone trapped inside.


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## sick*

when i left they were going to inside to prise open doors or windows to get the hose's in a better position, but theres not much they can do now, just leave the hoses running. There was only 5 trucks there when i was there and 2 of them were packing up.


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## Simon

The destruction of Cane Hill’s Administration Block by fire today was a simple, inevitable footnote in the sad demise of the buildings. When English Partnerships decided to demolish most of the complex and leave a scattered handful of "interesting" buildings in its wake, they effectively sealed the building’s fate. Isolated with no future, the locally listed structure was now either going to fall into ruin or be consumed by fire. The outcome of both is bound to be the same: the structure will be declared unsafe and demolished.

In more financially secure times, English Partnerships would’ve shrugged their shoulders and continued with their regeneration of Coulsdon Town Centre (which is why Cane Hill was demolished). However, their merger into the Home and Communities Agency, has left them as exposed as the poor Cane Hill Administration Block; the bloated useless quango will, hopefully, go up in flames in the coalition’s metaphorical bonfire.

A fitting end.

All the best,
Simon


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## DubbedNavigator

West park, and now Cane hill - how longs it going to be before something similar happens in Severalls?


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## mr_bones

Thanks to Laura for alerting me to this, I got to the scene around 12.30pm and the guards informed me I had missed the iconic clocktower crashing through to the basement by 15 minutes. I spoke to the fire crews who got their call at 8.45am and supposedly arrived on scene to a fire that had started in the basement.

The entire centre of the admin building is gutted, the right hand side is mostly gutted with a small section left and the left hand side survived unscathed. Fire crews went up into the left hand side of the building and doused the flames from upstairs which was more effort than I was expecting for a derelict building.

pics.


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## mookster

That makes me literally feel sick to my stomach.


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## Allstar#500

Disgusting.


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## tumbles

No doubt it'll be deemed structurally unsafe (it wasn't great before) and it'll be knocked down immediately.

Surprised that it didn't spread to the chapel, had it been in the summer I'd argue it'd have gone up in double quick time.


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## DubbedNavigator

Such a waste of such an awesome building


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## sick*

tumbles said:


> No doubt it'll be deemed structurally unsafe (it wasn't great before) and it'll be knocked down immediately.
> 
> Surprised that it didn't spread to the chapel, had it been in the summer I'd argue it'd have gone up in double quick time.



definately, if it hadnt of been raining so much recently it would have burnt alot quicker


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## mr_bones

[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXiE8Sqf6c8[/nomedia]


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## klempner69

I loved that old clock tower with the rolled lead finish..so glad I got to see it all.


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## Krypton

fml.

That is such a shame.

Restoring it isnt out of the question - unless of course it doesnt get pulled down/fall down.

The end of a prolific part of the UK's Physciatric History.


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## tumbles

Simon said:


> The destruction of Cane Hill’s Administration Block by fire today was a simple, inevitable footnote in the sad demise of the buildings. When English Partnerships decided to demolish most of the complex and leave a scattered handful of "interesting" buildings in its wake, they effectively sealed the building’s fate. Isolated with no future, the locally listed structure was now either going to fall into ruin or be consumed by fire. The outcome of both is bound to be the same: the structure will be declared unsafe and demolished.
> 
> In more financially secure times, English Partnerships would’ve shrugged their shoulders and continued with their regeneration of Coulsdon Town Centre (which is why Cane Hill was demolished). However, their merger into the Home and Communities Agency, has left them as exposed as the poor Cane Hill Administration Block; the bloated useless quango will, hopefully, go up in flames in the coalition’s metaphorical bonfire.
> 
> A fitting end.
> 
> All the best,
> Simon



It was either going to be this or what has happened to Stores Hall. I'm not sure which outcome I prefer..


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## Bryant

http://www.bryantpedia.com/2010/11/14/when-the-system-is-just-too-damn-slow/


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## lilli

tumbles said:


> It was either going to be this or what has happened to Stores Hall. I'm not sure which outcome I prefer..




I have to agree with you there.


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## 0xygen

I used to love exploring Cane Hill - it was depressing enough when the demo started but this.... this is just the worst. I was only up there again a few weeks back and inside admin. The floors were even more dodgy than ever due to the rain but was nice to go back in for old times sake.

This all seems to be very convenient for the developpers!

-0xy


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## dangerous dave

was chatting with winchester about this and commented on the fact this may in fact make conversion easy. If the walls are shored up now and pending any damage to the fabric of the building it may be possible to in effect plug a new inside into the shell and replace the roof. This is what was done with danvers in the USA. the inside was fucked big time so would have had to be removed anyhow so this may in some odd way be a benefit if they keep it and make conversion a lot quicker


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## tumbles

dangerous dave said:


> was chatting with winchester about this and commented on the fact this may in fact make conversion easy. If the walls are shored up now and pending any damage to the fabric of the building it may be possible to in effect plug a new inside into the shell and replace the roof. This is what was done with danvers in the USA. the inside was fucked big time so would have had to be removed anyhow so this may in some odd way be a benefit if they keep it and make conversion a lot quicker




It's a common trend at the moment to keep the facade and put a new build on the back. I'd be the best outcome from here I guess. If it's going to be demo'd.. who wants the 1882 brick?


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## UrbanX

RIP:


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## tidyboy

really saddens me seeing those photos. has to be an inside job if you ask me.  RIP Cane. 

Thanks for the photos and video of the event.


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## leepey74

absolutley gutted! This was a great place!

Like everyone says tho, only way to get round a listed building for re-gen is burn it to the ground!!

Proper shame


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## drypulse

terrible end to such an iconic building


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## Anthillmob74

so sad to see. whoever did this are complete bastards. RIP Cane Hill. wasnt deserved


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## smileysal

Unfortunately it happens to a lot of derelict buildings when they plan to build houses on a site. Happened hundreds of times, and it will still happen


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## Bryant

Have read an unverified post on a news site (can't remember the domain) which claims HCA will still retain the Admin Block in any future development. 

It would certainly be a welcome gesture, and would undoubtedy silence the cynics. It would also of course provide some 'frontage' and a grouding to the surviving chapel and water tower - which are currently missing what was the heart, and by far the finest exterior feature, of the complex.

I truly hope HCA get this right. I don't want to hear about 'structurally unsafe' or 'not economically viable' - this is a truly historic building, and it provides a major sense of continuity to the local area.

We can but hope...


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## sick*

this is a quote from HCA today "we are not certain how the fire will affect plans for the site. We will shortly meet representatives from Croydon on the site to review the condition of the building following the fire and consider the way forward."

anything else you have heard or read is speculation


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## tumbles

Popped in as was passing through on the A23 today. First thing of note is a sign on the entrance to the footpath on Portnalls Road. They've put a temporary closure on the footpath from the 20th November through to the first week of December. To carry out 'wor'k. My first thought was they are going to be closing the footpath so they can pull the rest of it down 

Walking up to it, just a couple of work men (might even be security) were just moving debris from inside admin and putting it around the back of the chapel. 

Anyway I was quite surprised, it's not as bad as I feared. Yep its looked very bad but I still think it could be saved, at least the front anyway.

Will get some pictures up when I get back from this weeks travels.


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## tumbles

...and so RIP Cane Hill Admin

http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk...Cane-Hill/article-2989395-detail/article.html

Police officers who attended the blaze on November 13 declared the incident non-suspicious.


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## Nefariousink

**

this is such a piss take, why would anyone set this place on fire!
i love asylums and i hope its a crack fiend thats past out in there with a lit cig and set himself on fire before the rest of it! at least then it will have some dignity!

just realised i should be on crack seen as i love asylums haha BOLD STAEMENT!

upset


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## Goldie87

SkankNasty said:


> this is such a piss take, why would anyone set this place on fire!



Because they want to demolish it? Knew they would get away with it, they always do!


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## mookster

tumbles said:


> ...and so RIP Cane Hill Admin
> 
> http://www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk...Cane-Hill/article-2989395-detail/article.html
> 
> Police officers who attended the blaze on November 13 declared the incident non-suspicious.



"A spokesman said the organisation regretted the move and pledged that only the bare minimum would be removed" 

Bloody cheek.


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## krela

How can a building with no electricity or gas supply and no natural source of ignition spontaneously catch fire?!


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## tumbles

krela said:


> How can a building with no electricity or gas supply and no natural source of ignition spontaneously catch fire?!



It's them ghosts..


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## 0xygen

Thanks for the latest... jesus this annoys me. Honestly, what a joke the police are! Although I explored this place many times I had hoped to be able to walk past the familiar Admin block after the redelopment was completed.

-0xy


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## dangerous dave

this stinks so badly of scam its untrue if i burnt my house down id be on an arson charge yet a govt quango can escape without any real investigation


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## mcspringzy

Any updates on whats happening to admin? I've been watching this thread with a keen eye..


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## 0xygen

Popped up there with mr_bones just before New Year - front is still standing and it's less screwed than I thought it would be but even so.... it's pretty damn screwed particularly in that the bell tower is gone. It's so weird to look at that site now when I think back to the numerous explores I did up there.

Wandered around the exterior to see if we could bump into any "friendly" security to get an update but we went undesturbed. Will pop up again soon and take a look,

-0xy


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## mr_bones

I have been up there in the last week and Squibbs are demolishing admin. Furthest right hand wing is flat.


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## 0xygen

God damn ;\ ....


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## klempner69

Any pics of how sad it looks would be welcome from moi.


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## mr_bones

Not got any pictures but will get some soon.


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## mcspringzy

I was genuinely upset when I read this thread originally. I'm still glad I've got the motto tattoo'd across my stomach area.


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## Tigger

mcspringzy said:


> I was genuinely upset when I read this thread originally. I'm still glad I've got the motto tattoo'd across my stomach area.



Lets see that...


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## mr_bones

Sorry to drag this thread up again but this is how Admin looked on Saturday...


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## MD

Sad Sight 
but thanks for posting


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## 0xygen

R.I.P Cane Hill


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## tumbles

I thought they stated they were only demo'ing the left hand wing as that was what was beyond saving. The rest was meant to be saved.. :/


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