POLICE are investigating the cause of a fire that wrecked a Hampshire business and damaged a neighbouring skills centre.

The blaze broke out at Duda Garage in First Avenue, Southampton, destroying two cars and damaging two others as well as causing severe damage to the building.

Crews from five fire stations dashed to the scene as flames ripped through the single-storey garage in the early hours of yesterday.

They managed to stop the flames spreading to adjoining buildings but at least one of the properties was hit by smoke and water damage.

Police cordoned off the scene and spent most of yesterday investigating the blaze - believed to have caused tens of thousands of pounds of damage.

The owner of the garage is on holiday in Spain but is understood to have been told about the fire.

It started in a car just outside the entrance to the building before spreading to another one inside, reducing both vehicles to burnt out shells. Two other cars at the opposite end of the workshop were less seriously damaged.

A man who arrived to board up the property shortly after the cordon was lifted yesterday afternoon described the blaze as “terrible” and “shocking”.

Part of a skills centre run by Southampton Engineering Training Association (SETA) was flooded to a depth of three or four inches following the fire.

Staff were alerted at 6am yesterday and launched a major clean-up operation, washing the floor and opening all the windows to disperse the smell of smoke.

SETA’s managing director, Julie Gough, said the centre was likely to be “severely affected” for the rest of the week.

She added: “When I got here was pitch black and the floor was underwater - it was devastating. However the offices at the front of the building are pretty much OK, so it could have been worse.”

Crews from Redbridge, Romsey, St Mary’s, Eastleigh and Hightown fire stations were called out just after 2.30am.

A Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said the incident began with a car fire that spread to a building that housed eight commercial units, including the garage.

He added: “The garage suffered severe fire and smoke, with neighbouring units affected by water damage.

“Crews liaised with the Environment Agency and Southern Water throughout, with the police due to attend the scene to investigate the cause.”

The garage opened about eight years ago and is understood to have employed three or four people, including the owner. It is not known if he will return home early as a result of the blaze.

As the Daily Echo went to press police had yet to release any information about the incident.