A popular fish and chip shop has closed for more than two weeks after fire wrecked the business and the flat above.

The blaze started in the rear kitchen of the King Fish Bar in King Street, Sandwich.

Smoke was seen across the town, billowing out of the windows and doors.

A passer-by who witnessed the fire, Philip Curry, said: “The shop owner was clearly badly upset by the fire that has destroyed not only his business but also his home.

“It was unclear exactly how the fire started but smoke was pouring out of all the open windows and doors as firefighters entered the premises wearing breathing apparatus.”

Four fire engines attended the three-storey building at 10.50am on Wednesday, August 19.

Crews wearing breathing apparatus tackled the blaze with hose reels and a hydrant and were on the scene for two hours before it was extinguished.

Ross Buggins, who set up the King Fish Bar Facebook group, told the Mercury the fish and chip shop will be closed until Friday, September 4, and is undergoing a clean-up operation and full refurbishment.

He said: “The owner is doing fine and was unhurt during the fire.

“There was a significant amount of damage to the shop so he’s having a total refurb of the King Fish Bar. The owner was absolutely devastated by the event of the fire.”

The cause of the fire is still being investigated.

Just an hour before the blaze on Wednesday, firefighters were also called to a gas leak at a wine merchants in New Street.

The leak had come from an industrial fridge and smoke had filled the shop and a residential property next door.

Two appliances attended at 9.45am.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue said: “They checked the premises and there were no signs of fire and concluded it was gas leaking from an industrial fridge.”

Firefighters left the scene at 10.24am and the road, which had been temporarily closed, was re-opened.