A BUSINESSMAN has told of his shock after a huge tyre shop fire caused “thousands of pounds” of damage to his showroom next door.

Nine fire crews were called at midnight on Monday to the blaze at Spot on Tyres in Whitehall Lane, Grays which gutted the shop and raged for four hours.

Residents in neighbouring roads Arthur Street and Maple Road were also unhappy because cars and houses were covered in thick black soot as a result of the fire.

Steve Roffe, owner of RG Cole, a bedroom and kitchen showroom next door to Spot On Tyres said his shop had been ruined.

Mr Roffe, 56, from Grays, who has worked at the shop for 20 years said: “Our store room, kitchen and bedroom displays and carpets are all going to have to be replaced, I cannot sell someone a new oven when it has smoke damage.

“All the displays have thick soot all over them, the damage is much worse than first meets the eye, it is going to run into thousands of pounds.

“Lots of residents are unhappy because their cars and houses are covered in the black dust."

The Gazette was unable to contact anyone at Spot On Tyres for a comment.

An investigation is under way into the cause of the blaze.