Little remains of the The PM Racing Team motorbike shop on Church Street in Shildon – after a blaze broke out just after 10am.
Plumes of smoke bellowed from the building as five fire engines rushed to the scene – cordoning the area off as they battled the flames which were later described as “horrendous” by eyewitnesses.
(Image: The Northern Echo) The owner, who is understood to have operated the business for 22 years, managed to escape the building unscathed but tragically watched it burn before his eyes.
The hours that followed saw multiple residents gather at a police monitored cordon, many of whom had heard of the blaze and came down to see what had happened.
“This is the worst thing I’ve seen in Shildon,” said 65-year-old passer-by Michael Young.
He explained that just after the blaze broke out, he jumped in to direct traffic away from the scene, so firefighters could enter and access the shop.
(Image: NORTHERN ECHO) “I really didn’t think the bikes would make it through”, he added.
Aik Milan, 28, is one of the owners of neighbouring shop Top Cuts Barbers. He referred to the owner of the PM Racing Team as his “best friend”.
He told The Northern Echo: “I was cutting hair, and someone rushed into the shop and told me there was a really big fire.
“I ran, and so did our customers. At first, it wasn’t very big but by the time the firefighters arrived it was a huge blaze.
“When I ran out, the owner was already out safe and explained he tried to control it but it just kept going.”
(Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Kelly Nelson, 45, who works at sunbed shop Tanned Up, said: “I was just working and I saw the fire engines come past – then I saw people coming out to watch what was happening.
“The smoke was just bellowing out.
“Then within 20 minutes it just went bang, a huge blaze. I heard a popping noise. It was horrendous.
“The poor owner was standing there outside the shop and I told him I was so sorry for what had happened. It’s heartbreaking.
“He told me, ‘I’ve been here 22 years and it’s just gone like that’.
“I had to walk away at that point because I was sobbing, crying my eyes out.
“He’s not been injured – but this is just absolutely devastating. There are no words that could ever amount to this. He’s very well known around here. I have had people from other businesses in here who were told to leave. The community is really looking out for each other.”
(Image: NORTHERN ECHO) By early afternoon, the devastated shop owner was able to re-enter the building which from the back was filled with charred remains, machinery, bikes, and more which were burnt to a crisp.
Debris cracking under his feet, he dashed into the shop seconds after the cordon was lifted and began rescuing any items that could be saved.
Friends and nearby business owners joined in the effort, moving ashy boxes of tools and even motorbike suits out of the building.
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However, the owner was still able to smile despite the devastation as he remarkably wheeled out intact vintage motorcycles from the remains, propping them up in the road as he went in for more.
“Good”, he said, wheeling each individual bike out before embracing one of the firefighters who put out the blaze, in a heartwarming thank you gesture.
The road has been re-opened after the fire service left the scene at 1.45pm – but the incident remains under investigation.