Tens of thousands of Ocado grocery deliveries were cancelled following a blaze caused by robots colliding at a major distribution depot. More than 100 firefighters spent hours battling the blaze in Erith, South-East London, after staff were evacuated. The building, on a 36-acre site, is serviced by around 3,500 robots programmed to pack deliveries. It is the third blaze at an Ocado warehouse in the past two years, including one in Andover, Hampshire – also blamed on robots – which destroyed the building. Bosses at Ocado yesterday said damage in the blaze on Friday afternoon was limited but there would be disruption to operations for several days.

Source: Daily Mail July 18, 2021 00:21 UTC