A WORRIED shopkeeper has described the terrifying moment a fire engulfed a nearby building site in Reading.

The colossal fire tore through the One Station Hill building complex yesterday November 23, as local evacuated businesses watched on in shock as huge billows of smoke filled the sky.

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Mr Mohammed Atash, the owner of nearby Friars Convenience Store which is directly opposite where the incident took place, said he was setting up his store when he first became aware of the blaze.

“I was inside and a worker at the nail bar rushed in,” he said. “They told me to look outside and that’s when I saw this huge fire.”

Mr Atash described seeing flames gushing from the One Station Hill building with huge crowds of people watching as police told them to stay back.

He said: “I saw really thick flames and the sky was black with smoke.”

Mr Atash went on to describe how this incident is the second fire that has happened in six months.

“I intend to call this street Fire Street, not Friar Street,” he said. “Anything is possible here.

“It affects local businesses because the offices and the roads are closed, after the last fire the road was closed for 24 hours.”

He continued to say how difficult an incident like this is for local businesses, who lose footfall due to officials cordoning off Friar Street.

Mr Atash referenced the last fire that happened on the same development back in July, though no injuries were reported.

He added: “Last time it burned for nine hours and we couldn't recover for months. We get a lot of late night people going to McDonald's which closed last time.

“If they don't come here, this road is dead and it affects all the businesses.”