FIRE investigators were today searching the remnants of a massive Suffolk garage blaze to look for clues to its cause.Rodbridge Car Centre in Long Melford was completely destroyed by the fire which broke out yesterday evening.

FIRE investigators were today searching the remnants of a massive Suffolk garage blaze to look for clues to its cause.

Rodbridge Car Centre in Long Melford was completely destroyed by the fire which broke out yesterday evening at around 5.10pm. The fire at the garage on the A134 tspread from the timber framed building to a neighbouring shed, where highly flammable gases and tyres were stored.

Fire chiefs decided to evacuate homes close by and in total 15 houses were cleared.

There had been no one inside the garage and most residents found alternative accommodation.

At the peak of the blaze 50 firefighters fought the flames, manning eight fire engines and four specialist appliances including the rotating ladder.

Assistant Divisional Officer Jon Illingworth, said: “As the building was timber framed the fire spread quickly to the roof and the turntable ladder and further appliances were requested.

“We were then struggling for water and it became a difficult operation. The fire then spread to another premises we believed may have contained acetylene canisters so we evacuated to a 200metre radius.

“The canisters were then found to be propane or butane and we monitored them with a thermal imaging camera.

“When they appeared to be cool we let people back into their homes.”

The fire was put out at just after 8pm but fire crews remained on scene damping down hotspots.

They continued damping down at the scene today.

Early indications suggest the fire was not suspicious.