Eyewitnesses say some businesses were "very lucky" after a major fire involving a commercial garage spread at the weekend.
The blaze broke out in Portman's Walk, near Bibb Way, shortly before 11.30am on Saturday, November 7, sending a huge plume of smoke above the town centre.
Firefighters found a 20-metre by five-metre garage and multiple vehicles alight.
A witness from a nearby business said: “We are very lucky that it did not spread to our business, we had a lot of cars in our lot.”
They described hearing “loads of explosions” as the fire took hold and said there were “about 13 fire engines at one point”.
The witness said businesses within the affected collection of units remained closed on Sunday, with gates leading into the area locked while the fire service continue their work.
“Everything’s gone, everything’s closed,” they said.
AC Autos announced it had closed following the fire, saying the blaze had begun at neighbouring premises before spreading to its garage.
Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service was called after reports of a commercial garage and car fire, with seven crews attending the incident. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used one hose reel jet and two main jets to tackle the flames.
Crews also dealt with hazards associated with smoke and fuel, while police and fire investigation officers attended the scene.
During the incident, people nearby were advised to keep their windows and doors closed and avoid the area.
The witness said a fire investigation officer had since left the site but access to the affected units remained restricted, with businesses unable to return to their premises.
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