By Ross Lidbetter and Gareth Davies 

ross.lidbetter@essnmedia.co.uk

A BLAZE which ripped through a town centre shop caused chaos as families were forced to abandon their homes and public transport ground to a halt.

Firefighters fought through Wednesday night to control the flames which engulfed the Wing Tai Supermarket, in Church Street.

While nobody was hurt in the fire – which began at 9.24pm and continued into Thursday morning – 20 people had to be evacuated from flats above the store and nearby homes. The blaze caused disruption for commuters, with Tramlink's town centre loop still closed as the Advertiser went to press.

A total of 12 fire engines from across the borough were sent to tackle the blaze, alongside fire rescue units and an aerial platform from Forest Hill.

Croydon Fire Station's Red Watch were first on the scene and doused the supermarket with jets of water for four and a half hours before being relieved at 2am.

Watch manager Harvey Payne said: "The fire appears to have begun on the bottom floor, in the shop and warehouse area.

"Because of this our first action was to send crews into the flats above to make sure they were empty and clear of people.

"Everyone had got out. The fire was large enough to cause extensive damage, but it's too early to tell how much."

Lisa Rodriguez, 37, was in a flat in nearby Church Road looking at the back of the shop when she noticed smoke pouring out. She said: "I saw people running down the stairs, from the flats behind the shops, with their kids screaming.

"It started to get out of control because I saw a little bit of smoke and then it started to go mental. I couldn't see any flames, but there was black smoke and I could hear a popping sound.

"I've never seen so many fire engines in all my life. I had to spend the night on the street and it was freezing."

Nicole Daniels, 26, who lives in Church Road, was told by a police officer the blaze had been caused by an electrical fault.

She said: "A passer-by jumped the wall behind the shop and shouted 'fire, fire' to alert the people in the flats above the store. Fortunately, this meant they could all get out before the fire got going.

"The families were all outside with their pets and babies. I offered my towels and blankets to the children.

"The owners of the supermarket are in a refuge and have not been back. It is a very friendly shop and I use it all the time."

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said two men were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not want hospital treatment.

Fire crews were still at the scene as the Advertiser went to press.

The Fire Investigation Unit is looking into the cause of the blaze and police say they cannot say whether it is suspicious at this stage.