Fire breaks out at Stracey's Fish and Chips in Preston, Weymouth

Firefighters were called at 3.10am yesterday to extinguish a blaze at Stracey's Fish and Chips on the corner of Preston Road and Church Road, Preston.

Manager Troy Lynes, who lives in the flat above the fish and chip shop, said he was woken up in the middle of the night by a call from a delivery driver telling him that the shop was on fire.

Stracey's Fish and Chips on Church Road in Preston, Weymouth. Picture: Dorset Echo

Mr Lynes said said he was 'very lucky' the delivery driver rang him as he is very heavy sleeper and didn't hear the alarm.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

As a result of the damage, Stracey's Fish and Chip Shop has sadly had to close until further notice.

Mr Lynes said: "It was lucky that I managed to get downstairs and through the shop. There was lots of smoke.

"I'm pretty gutted. It's the holidays soon and it's the beginning of the season for us."

Mr Lynes, who said the fire was in the prepping area of the building, thanked the fire service who came in the middle of the night to extinguish the flames.

The inside of the shop was left blackened from damage caused by the fire and smoke.

Police attended the scene to assist the fire service in closing the road whilst firecrews tackled the blaze. 

A spokesman for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews from Weymouth and Dorchester were mobilised to a fire at a commercial property in Weymouth.

"On arrival, firefighters found smoke and flames issuing, with the fire located in the rear of the property.

"Six breathing apparatus wearers used hose reel jets and a main line to extinguish the fire – our stop came at 4.29am."

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: "We received a report at 3.18am on Friday, April 22 of a fire in Church Road in Weymouth.

"Officers attended and assisted the fire service with traffic management and closing the road. The road reopened at around 4.25am."