A frozen sprinkler system triggered a massive flood that wrecked two floors of a fireplace business, turning the showrooms into a disaster scene.

The torrents of water that came through the sprinkler system at Crossley Hall Mills, off Thornton Road, were so strong as they hit the ground that they swept some display items to the other end of the building.

House of Fire owner Peter Hollings said the flood had marked the end of a terrible year and would take weeks to put right.

But he vowed to battle on and open as soon as he could in the New Year. Mr Hollings, 47, had shut the business for Christmas but called in earlier this week to check the premises only to find it a wash out.

“I knew there was something wrong.

“The wallpaper was coming off the walls, the carpets were saturated and the ceilings had crumbled and come down – all because of water from one sprinkler.

“The system had frozen because of the weather we’ve been having and a valve had burst.

“The mess is unbelievable, a lot of stock is ruined.

“It’s going to cost thousands and thousands of pounds to put right. I can’t even start to make an estimate yet.”

Originally Mr Hollings had been hoping to re-open on Tuesday but he says that will not happen now.

“It’s going to take at least two weeks to dry out and then we’ll have to re-decorate, get new carpets and new stock.

“It’s been murder trying to get hold of people. I’ve been passed from pillar to post.

“It’s been a terrible year. Economically the screws have tightened, I’ve already had to let five staff go one by one so it’s just me running the business – and now this,” he said.

Water also seeped down into the ground floor and in to a plastics recycling business below the House of Fire.

“It’s just changed hands so it’s bad luck for the new owner but I don’t think it’ll be so horrendous for them because they just keep bales of plastic down there,” added Mr Hollings.

He was hoping to have electricity and light restored by the end of yesterday.