Some businesses have been forced to close after a fire took hold in a car park at the Pier 5 leisure complex, near the Chatham Dockside shopping centre.

Around five cars went up in flames yesterday evening just before 5.30pm in an underground car park, at Dock Head Road.

The fire is believed to have started under the Flip Out trampoline park which posted a notice on the door explaining it was closed.

Shops on Pier 5 are counting the cost as they are currently without power.

On what should have been a bumper day for ice cream sales, the Creams parlour was forced to tip away all its ice cream, fruit and waffle and pancake mix.

Police and fire officers are still at the scene today with investigations focussing on several cars in the car park. Yesterday evening ambulance crews treated one person for smoke inhalation.

The fire was out just before 10pm last night and residents evacuated from the modern block of flats nearby were allowed to return home around 11pm.

Today many residents are unable to access their cars left in the car park as the fire has knocked out the power, which includes a fob to control access.

The smell of smoke is still lingering and as of Saturday lunchtime, the power had remained off for around 18 hours.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

Shops at Chatham Dockside were not affected by the fire and are open as normal today.