AN investigation is under way into how a fire which destroyed two shops began.

About 70 firefighters tackled the blaze at a two-storey row of shops in Kidderminster town centre.

Levine’s furniture store and a British Heart Foundation (BHF) charity shop were gutted in the fire in Market Street with the remains of the buildings now left in a dangerous condition.

The BHF has said it has lost £50,000 of stock. An Iceland frozen food store in the same block was saved by fire crews.

No one was injured in the fire.

We reported yesterday how hundreds watched as the fire raged from about 1pm on Sunday afternoon.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service sent 10 fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms and a water carrier to the scene, with six jets, one hose reel and a ground monitor all in use.

The fire was under control by about 6pm.

Police cordoned off nearby roads and pedestrian areas overnight and the immediate area is still cordoned off because of fears for safety.

Area Commander George Sherry, from the fire service, said when crews arrived the fire was spreading fast.

He said: “Thanks to the effective use of resources by firefighters and other agencies at the scene, we managed to stop the fire spreading to the Iceland store nearby.

“This was no easy task, however, as the intense heat of the fire coupled with the unusually hot weather posed a real risk of dehydration to all those involved in tackling the blaze.

“Gas mains at the site had also ruptured, presenting an extra complication.”

The BHF has appealed for donations, saying it needs help to replenish the £50,000 of stock in the fire.

Customers who bought items in the past week but have not yet had delivered, have been told to contact the BHF for a refund on 01371 477 374.

Mike Lucas, BHF retail director, said: “Thankfully no one was in the shop at the time, and no one was injured as a result of the fire. But both our stock and the building itself are severely damaged.

“We understand the fire actually started in a furniture shop next door and that the flames spread quickly into our own store.

“Everything is now secure at our shop, and we’ll be carrying out a full assessment of what happened but it will be some time before we will be able to open again.

“I really hope this doesn’t put people in the area off donating furniture and electrical items to us though.

“We rely completely on the generosity of our supporters and people can still donate online or by calling our free collections number on 0844 412 9132.