A local business is counting the cost after a blaze broke out at a takeaway in Ravensthorpe.

Fire crews from Dewsbury and Cleckheaton were sent to Roosta King Chicken Grill on North Road at around 10.30am.

Police also attended and closed the road in both directions as a safety precaution at the junction with Huddersfield Road near the retail park and Home Bargains.

It is thought the fire started when the owner switched on his rotisserie machine but firefighters stressed the cause of the fire is as yet unconfirmed.

Firefighters used an aerial platform to fire jets of water down through the roof of the building.

Once the fire was out four firefighters equipped with breathing apparatus entered the building to make sure.

Fire at Roosta King on Cross Foundry Road, (off North Road) Ravensthorpe

They were followed by a fire investigator who is yet to confirm the cause. A grocery shop next door was evacuated and positive pressure fans were used to clear smoke.

One of the workers said: “We were told to evacuate and came outside and could see thick black smoke coming out of the roof and door of Roosta Chicken.

“There were loads of firefighters and people watching.”

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Another woman, who knows the owner said: “It’s such a shame. He’s put everything into the business over the last nine months and now this.

“He had just opened up and put the rotisserie on which started flickering and the electrics went off and it all just went up.

“He got outside and rang the fire brigade.”

Station Manager Paul England said at the scene: “When crews arrived on the scene the building was fully involved with smoke and flames.

Fire at Roosta King on Cross Foundry Road, (off North Road) Ravensthorpe

“Crews extinguished the fire externally using jets from our aerial ladder platform.

“They will carry out a piece-by-piece analysis to find out where the fire started.”

The Examiner approached the business owner but he was too upset to talk.

His friend Darnasa Hussain said: “It’s been running for a long time under different names. But my friend here has had it for the last nine months. He has invested a lot of money inside it and business was thriving.”