Investigation launched after 21 vehicles destroyed in Bury St Edmunds car dealership blaze

Around 20 cars caught fire in the blaze Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Archant)

Fire crews were called to the Hammond Nissan dealership in Lamdin Road around 4am today and spent more than an hour and a half battling the blaze.

The cars went up in flames in the compound at the back of the dealership’s sales building and no cars on the forecourt were affected.

David Kindred, general sales manager, said: “It could have been a lot worse, no-one was hurt and the building stayed intact.

“There was a bit of superficial heat damage in the compound and the ground might need an element of resurfacing.

“There are procedures for this sort of thing and it has all been dealt with in the correct manner.

“I wouldn’t like to speculate on the cost of the damage as it’s all with the insurance companies now.

“We don’t know how it started, there is an investigation on going.

“But we’re open and it’s very much business as usual.”

A spokesman for Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was extinguished around 5.48am.

Police were also called to the scene.

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Constabulary said: “We were called by the fire service just after 4.15am following reports of a fire at Lamdin Road in Bury St Edmunds.

“Multiple cars were reported on fire at the Nissan garage and we attended the scene for a short time.”