Five years ago today, staff and customers at a Kent supermarket were evacuated after a fire broke out in the cafe.

Firefighters arrived within minutes, police not long after, and a cordon was put in place but nothing could be done to stop most of the store being engulfed in flames.

Within hours, the roof had collapsed and what was left of Morrisons in Folkestone was little more than a charred shell.

The smoke could be seen for miles, and residents were left stunned, with one claiming the town “would never be the same again”.

Pictures reveal the devastating impact the fire had at the time – and the huge emergency response needed to tackle it and keep those nearby safe.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to the supermarket in Cheriton Road at 7.34am on Thursday, November 8, 2018, with police being notified of the blaze approximately 30 minutes later.

Morrisons staff told firefighters they thought it started in the cafe of the shop, with crews later saying it was believed to have broken out in a deep fat fryer.

Twelve fire engines were initially sent to the supermarket, alongside two height vehicles and a command support unit.

Meanwhile, police officers shut Cheriton Road between Cornwallis Avenue and Cherry Garden Avenue and advised people to avoid the area. Those living and working nearby were also told to keep windows and doors closed.

Firefighters told of how they were faced with a “significantly developed fire” inside the store, but luckily no injuries were reported as staff and customers inside had evacuated before they arrived.

“Morrisons did a superb job at evacuating those people to make sure they were safe and as a result, we could concentrate on the firefighting and not have to worry about rescues,” KFRS area manager Chris Else said at the time.

The fire spread quite quickly to about three-quarters of the building. The final quarter of the store, which the fire had not reached, was the storage area.

Just less than two hours after firefighters were called, part of the roof collapsed as flames continued to tear through the building. Just 23 minutes later, the entire roof gave way.

Not long after this, Three Hills Sports Park, which is next to Morrisons, was evacuated because of the smoke coming from the store and shut for the rest of the day.

The British Red Cross was called just before 11.30am to assist KFRS.

Plumes of smoke could be seen for miles in the town with witnesses telling of the moment they knew Morrisons was alight.

Frankie Moore, from Cheriton, saw the roof of the supermarket collapsing.

The then-18-year-old said: "I was meeting my girlfriend at Folkestone bus station and I could see smoke. I knew it was from around the Morrisons direction because I know the area quite well.

"When I got closer I could smell smoke. I could see the roof was collapsing and the clock tower was coming down."

Regular Morrisons shopper, Megan Gibson said the “awful tragedy” would affect the town hugely.

“It's simply not going to be the same without Morrisons,” she said at the time.

“It’s a massive shame. I shop here because there are certain items in there which you can’t get anywhere else.

“I’m gutted. Folkestone isn’t going to be the same.

“It’s gutting if these people are now out of work. It’s an awful tragedy.”

Mother Lisa Lawrence, 49 from Cheriton added: "I shop there. I know people there, I messaged one person who works there straight away to make sure she was okay which she was.

"The emergency services are doing a fantastic job."

After more than six hours of battling the blaze, the incident was scaled down to six fire engines and two height vehicles, with earlier advice for residents to keep windows and doors closed lifted.

At its peak, more than 50 firefighters battled the inferno.

Just after 6pm, the operation was scaled down further to two fire engines and one height vehicle as firefighters dampened down the site and continued to check for hotspots. Crews remained at the scene throughout the night to monitor the situation.

Over the next year, the area was cleared of debris, stripped back and then rebuilt, with the original framework being incorporated into the new building.

Meanwhile, a temporary shop was erected in the car park in December 2018 until October 2019.

Shoppers were also able to catch a free bus to Dover's Morrisons.

On November 8, 2019, firefighters officially opened the new Morrisons store – with station leader James Kirk cutting the ribbon.

The new and improved shop includes a bakers, butchers, fishmongers and florist, as well as clothing from the Nutmeg range.