A GARAGE owner watched in horror as a blaze took hold in his Aspley car showroom.

When firefighters got to the Parkside Garage in Somerset Road, Huddersfield, early yesterday they smashed windows to gain entry to the showroom where a BMW 5 series was ablaze.

The fire spread to other cars in the building.

Garage owner Mick Leech, 38, who was alerted by the alarm company, told the Examiner: “I got there and there were two fire engines parked outside and thick black smoke billowing from the window, so I feared the worst.

“It was horrific. I wanted to try and open more doors and windows but I couldn’t get to the key store. Two firefighters went in with breathing apparatus and got them.

“The blaze started in a BMW 5 series which was parked at the front of the showroom.

“It spread to a BMW Estate near to it, melting the wing mirror.

“The building has a suspended ceiling which was extensively damaged and bits of it were falling onto the cars.

“It’s horrendous.”

He estimated the five vehicles affected by the blaze were worth around £40,000.

Huddersfield Watch Commander Darren Bagley, said: “When we arrived the building was locked and we forced entry.

“A car was on fire inside the showroom and that caused heat damage to four other cars.

“We sent four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus into the building and used hose reels to tackle the blaze.

“It was then a case of establishing there was no fire in the roof void and using positive pressure fans to ventilate the building.

“There was no sign of forced entry and the blaze was caused by an electrical fault with a BMW, which was completely destroyed.”

But despite the damage Mr Leech, who took on the premises just 12 months ago, said the main function of the business is the workshop, which was unaffected by the blaze.

He added: “We are a Land Rover specialist and fortunately the workshop is not damaged so it’s business as usual from that perspective.

“Our reception is in the showroom but we will be able to manage for the time being.”

Mr Leech has been in the motor business for 20 years is confident that the fire will not put him out of business.

He added: “I have poured everything I’ve got into this business. We had brought the premises back to life again after it had been derelict for a number of years which makes it particularly unbelievable.”

The four other vehicles damaged were a BMW Estate, an Audi A4, a Ford Puma and a 1974 MG.