Owners 'devastated' as blaze forces Sunderland convenience store to close during lockdown

Shop owners have described hearing a loud bang before a fire broke out in the separate storage yard at the rear of Family Shopper, in Ryhope Street South.

The blaze then spread to the rear of the convenience store, causing smoke and electrical damage throughout, and forcing the business to close ‘for the foreseeable future’.

The incident comes just over a year after shop was targeted by burglars, shortly after the family took over the business in September 2019.

Owner Tejinder Singh said: “It’s devastating. I’m in shock to be honest. I don’t know if this has been done purposefully to cause conflict in my business.

"After the incident last year, where someone came through the roof and stole from the shop, I don’t know what to think.

"We took a £20,000 to £30,000 hit. Ever since then I have been scared.

"Now this has happened and it’s made me worry even more. It’s worrying times for everyone at the moment and we’ve closed for the foreseeable future."

Crews from Tyne and Wear Rescue Service were called to the Bonfire Night blaze at 7.50pm and an investigation into the circumstances around how the fire started is now under way.

Mr Singh, 36, added: “My brother, Sandy, was in the shop at the time. He heard a loud bang in the yard behind the shop.

"We don’t know if it was a firework which has maybe then started the fire. We are trying to get the CCTV footage but the electrical system is damaged and we’re waiting for a loss solicitor to come out.”

Mr Singh said although the fire damage is contained to the rear of the shop, all of their stock has been damaged by smoke.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “Emergency services attended the scene and found a fire had broken out at a nearby storage yard which had spread to the rear of the store. Thankfully nobody was injured.

“Inquiries are ongoing with the fire service to determine the circumstances surrounding the cause of the fire.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of our website or by calling 101 quoting log 252 061120.”

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