A SPARK from a bonfire is thought to have caused a major blaze which gutted an antiques workshop.

The roof of the three-storey building behind York House in Richmond, North Yorkshire, collapsed at the height of the fire and, by yesterday morning, only the stone walls surrounded a pile of charred timber.

But, despite the wreckage behind the premises, it was businesses as usual for the York House Antiques shop.

As reported in later editions of The Northern Echo yesterday, the blaze was spotted just after 9pm on Wednesday and residents from flats inside York House were also evacuated.

Firefighters kept a close eye on the remains of the workshop yesterday morning while an investigation team sifted through the debris.

A member of the fire investigation team, Ian Hill, said it seemed an unattended bonfire was the most likely cause.

"The owners are having a new house built to the rear of the warehouse and workmen have been using a fire to dispose of odds and ends.

"It seems an ember from there has blown on to sheeting covering the windows of the storeroom and ignited the plastic."

The remains of the workshop have been declared unsafe and may have to be demolished."

Owner Christine Swift said that the building was used for the restoration and storage of furniture for sale in the market place antiques shop.

She said: "I wasn't here when the fire happened but we will certainly continue to trade as usual."

More than 40 firefighters from Richmond, Colburn, Reeth, Leyburn, Darlington, Bedale, Newton Aycliffe, Harrogate and Northallerton responded to the blaze

A buildings expert from Richmondshire District Council was also called in to advise fire crews, who battled to prevent the fire spreading to the Woolworths store on one side and council offices on the other

A spokesman for North Yorkshire fire and rescue service, Terry Glover, said so many crews were involved because of the complex nature of the 18th Century building.

"All Georgian architecture poses great difficulties for modern day firefighters," he said. "When these buildings went up, there was no thought as to fire safety; they are all nooks and crannies, staircases and small rooms."