THESE pictures show the devastation caused by a fire which ripped through a convenience store shortly after 1am this morning.
The blaze meant neighbours were ordered to leave their homes as fire crews battled the flames for an hour
Essex Fire and Rescue Service said the shop was already 50 cent alight when crews arrived.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
A spokesman from the fire service, said: "Firefighters were called to a fire in shop in Westcliff.
"When fire crews arrived at the scene they reported that 50% of the shop was on fire.
"Crews immediately evacuated the flats above the shop and started to tackle the fire.
"Firefighters managed to extinguish the fire by 2am.
"The cause of the fire will be investigated."
Witness Macy Saville, 27, from London Road: "I was walking home from my friend’s about 1am this morning and I could see thick smoke as I was walking up Ramuz Drive and the smell was horrendous.
"Then as I got to the London Road I saw the shop was on fire - like raging. You could hear everything crackling and people came out of their flats to watch.
"I was shocked at how bad it was and how fast it was just going up. It started on the outside by the looks of it.
"I bet the owners are gutted. That’s the last thing they are going to need during these times."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel