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The Archway Metal Works facility in Tottenham caught fire and burned in the early hours of the morning Tuesday, as reported in the Tottenham and Wood Green Journal. Reports are that six engines and thirty-five firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which was located very close to White Hart Lane.
A family run business adjacent to Spurs football ground in Tottenham - totally gutted by fire. pic.twitter.com/GvJuj8AAsv
— luke hanrahan (@luketomhanrahan) November 25, 2014
Archway Metal Works should be very familiar to fans of Tottenham Hotspur. The company, owned by the Josif family, has reached notoriety for being the last company in the footprint Tottenham's proposed new stadium to sell its property to Spurs. In recent years, Archway has refused to sell to Spurs and has also challenged a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) that ordered it to sell to Tottenham. A high court appeal over the legality of the CPO is scheduled for January 15, 2015. The club and the Josif family have been fighting over the property for twelve years.
The article implies the fire caused significant damage to the Archway Metal Works facility, and that the nature of the fire is under investigation. We should be immediately clear: at this time NOBODY in an official capacity is mentioning the word "arson" or questioning the nature of the fire. Metal works catching fire are not uncommon things to have happen, though it hasn't stopped social media from going bananas with speculation.
The last remaining building stopping Spurs from building a new stadium on fire in suspicious circumstances! pic.twitter.com/JcF62H95Rx
— Toffee TV (@ToffeeTV1) November 25, 2014
Archway has certainly been the victims of abuse and even death threats from Tottenham fans over their stand-off with Spurs, so the connection is perhaps a natural one to make.
We'll keep you updated on this as the news develops. Obviously, regardless of the animosity between the club and Archway, this is a terrible, tragic thing to have happen.