FELIXSTOWE: The owner of a seafront launderette today declared his company was still open for business despite a fire ravaging part of the building.

As we reported yesterday, mystery surrounds the cause of the blaze at West End Dry Cleaners and Laundry in Undercliff Road West on Thursday evening.

The fire, which started at around 6.30pm, caused extensive smoke damage to the laundry section of the building, while the next door dry cleaning department was largely unaffected.

Phil Iannuzzi, the launderette’s owner, said: “We are still open for business – both for laundry and dry cleaning.

“The laundry section of the business has been smoke-damaged, but we can still take washing because I have a friend who is able to help me out elsewhere.

“The dry cleaning section is running as normal. It was a bit of a shock to the system to suffer a fire, but thankfully it hasn’t hit us too hard.”

Mr Iannuzzi, will discover the full cost of the blaze on Monday following a visit from his insurance company.

He is still unsure how the fire started and hopes that by next week he will have a better idea of when he can fully re-open the laundry section.

Mr Iannuzzi added: “The fire is a bit of mystery. Maybe the gas was left on or something warm was taken from a tumble dryer and ignited something else.”

Fire crews were alerted to the blaze thanks to the quick-thinking actions of staff from a nearby Indian takeaway who smelt something burning and then spotted smoke coming from the building.

A crowd of people gathered outside the launderette as smoke began to fill the premises.

One eye-witness, Alan Parris, said: “The window was blackening with smoke. The firemen got there pretty quickly and smashed the front door to get in.”

n Have you had a brush with a fire? Write to Your Letters, The Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk