Blaze wrecks pizza restaurant

A Shrewsbury pizza restaurant was wrecked by fire today as flames leapt through its roof and a pall of smoke drifted over a nearby housing estate.

Pizza Hut at Meole Brace Retail Park had to be evacuated as the blaze rapidly took hold and gutted the interior.

Check out our photo gallery here: Pizza Hut blaze - in pictures

Much of the roof collapsed due to the intense heat and crowds of shocked onlookers gathered to watch firefighters tackling the flames this afternoon.

Many thousands of pounds of damage was caused to the single storey building. Pizza Hut said a full investigation would be carried out.

Firefighters were called out at 11.48pm, taking five pumping appliances and the aerial ladder platform to the retail park.

Police warned residents on the neighbouring Meole Estate to close their windows as heavy smoke was drifting towards homes.

Incident commander Jon Wagstaff said: "Staff had smelt burning and thought it was the ovens.

"They turned off the ovens but could still smell burning. The restaurant was open but everyone got out before we arrived."

Manager Sarah Wilkinson said the restaurant had just opened when the fire started. She said: "We had one table in. Normally we are very busy.

"No-one was hurt and we evacuated straight away. One of the staff called the fire brigade."

Witness Terence Jackson, 67, of Chiltern Close, Shrewsbury, said: "The flames were really high and smoke was billowing out.

"It looked like it was a real right-off. I would say the flames were 10ft above the roof."

Police spokesman Richard Ewels said thick smoke from the blaze was drifting across towards the Meole Estate this afternoon.

"The fire service has requested that people living on the estate keep their windows closed purely as a precaution," he said. "Police are assisting with traffic in the area and informing residents."

A spokeswoman for Pizza Hut said: "Customers and employees were evacuated immediately and safely and the fire brigade was called to contain the fire. "A full of investigation is under way and we are assessing the damage."

Pauline Ramsden, of Belle Vue, said: "We were just in Starbucks and we looked out of the window and saw smoke coming from the roof of Pizza Hut."

Bob Beckett, franchisee of the neighbouring McDonald's restaurant, said this afternoon: "The fire brigade arrived very quickly after smoke started coming out of the building."