A KITCHEN-MAKER'S warehouse on an industrial estate outside York was today completely destroyed in a suspicious blaze.

Scenes-of-crime police officers and fire investigators were today waiting for the all-clear from council engineers on whether they could enter the charred building to discover the cause of the blaze.

Owner Stephen Scammell was in tears as firefighters doused down the charred remains of Scammell Interiors on the Brockett Industrial Estate, near Acaster Malbis.

Mr Scammell said he had been in business for 11 years. He said: "It's being treated suspiciously." Asked if there had been a history of break-ins or crime on the estate, he shook his head and added: "I don't think anybody has got an axe to grind with me."

Twenty firefighters battled for two hours early today to control the blaze, which was spotted by a passer-by just after 5.30am.

Flames were shooting through the roof when the crews arrived, and firefighters concentrated on stopping the blaze from spreading to the next-door building.

Station Officer Jez Rushworth said their task was hampered by the lack of access to a nearby water supply. Three of the four fire engines at the scene were used to ferry water back-and-forth from the River Ouse two miles away.

Mr Rushworth said: "We are treating the cause as doubtful. We are unsure of the cause, we have suspicions about it."

He added: "It is very serious for the owner. It has totally destroyed his business. The financial cost of it is huge for the people who work there. It's a tragic shame."

No-one was hurt in the fire or during the battle to fight it.

However, firefighters were today ordered not to enter the building to complete the dousing work because of a fear the building might collapse.

Mr Rushworth said: "There is a risk of the wall and the column collapsing. The end wall has bowed out and there are vertical cracks in it too."

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