The PM Racing Team motorbike shop on Church Street in Shildon, County Durham has been left decimated and beyond recognition after a blaze broke out this morning (January 13) shortly after 10am.
Five fire engines rushed to the scene to find its owner, uninjured, outside his shop of 22 years watching it burn.
The back of the shop. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Pictures taken from the back of the shop, which is understood to be where the fire began, now show charred remains, machinery, bikes, and more burnt to a crisp.
Shildon locals passed by throughout the day and stood behind the cordon, gesturing to the building that is now without a roof.
“This is the worst thing I’ve seen in Shildon”, remarked 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.
The PM Racing Team shop on Church Street, Shildon. (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) “I really didn’t think the bikes would make it through”, he added, gesturing at vintage motorcycles that were wheeled out by the grateful owner, who smiled amidst the destruction at his prized bikes coming out unscathed.
Aik Milan, 28, is one of the owners of neighbouring shop Top Cuts Barbers. He referred to the shop’s owner 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.”
Motorcycles recovered from the shop following the fire. (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 here 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.”
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Church Street has been re-opened, but a cordon remains in place across the shop.
A spokesperson for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service said: “At 10.12am today we received a report of a fire within a shop on Church Street in Shildon.
“We immediately deployed firefighters to the area, with a total of five fire engines and one arial ladder platform in attendance.”