Residents React as PM Racing Team in Shildon Ravaged by Fire
A devastating fire at the PM Racing Team shop in Shildon has left the community in shock and mourning for the loss
Shildon, County Durham, Fire, PM Racing Team, Community
Shildon: Firefighters blocked off Church Street after the PM Racing Team motorbike shop caught fire around 10am. It was a chaotic scene.
People gathered, watching in disbelief as flames engulfed the shop, causing the roof to collapse. The owner and nearby workers were evacuated, but the shock was palpable.
Kelly Nelson, who works at a nearby sunbed shop, shared her experience. She saw the fire engines rush by and then noticed the crowd forming. The smoke was thick and dark.
“Then, within 20 minutes, it just exploded into a massive blaze,” she recalled. “I heard popping sounds. It was terrifying.”
She felt for the owner, who had been running the shop for 22 years. “I told him I was so sorry. It’s heartbreaking,” she said, fighting back tears.
Another shop worker mentioned seeing the fire engines and realizing something serious was happening. The community really came together during this tough time.
After a few hours, the cordon was lifted, but the PM Racing Team shop remained off-limits. Eyewitnesses reported a strong smell of smoke lingering in the air.
Images showed the shop’s interior charred and the roof collapsed. The owner was later seen trying to salvage what he could from the wreckage.
A spokesperson for the fire service confirmed they received the call at 10:12am and quickly dispatched five fire engines and an aerial ladder to tackle the blaze.