Firefighters battled smoke and flames for hours when fire engulfed a row of industrial units at Halstead.
Sixteen fire engines were called to the blaze which started in Factory Lane Autos, a body repair shop, at Broton Drive, by Butler Road, at 3.51pm on Saturday.
Gas and acetylene cylinders inside the repair shop were taken out by firefighters.
The scene of the blaze in Halstead
The fire spread to neighbouring workshops leaving them gutted.
People were inside the repair shop but got out before the fire service arrived. There were no injuries.
Essex fire service station officer, Kevin Thornicroft, said: "The whole building was well alight. They were notified there were gas cylinders and acetylene inside.
"If it explodes, it goes up like an exocete missile."
Fire engines from as far as Colchester and Dovercourt were called and hundreds of people watched.
The cause of the fire is not yet known and will be the subject of an investigation.
But Mr Thornicroft said it was not being treated as suspicious.
Published Monday July 8, 2002
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