RESIDENTS and business owners have “lost everything” after a huge fire ripped through buildings in the centre of Southampton.

They were forced to leave their possessions and flee their homes and businesses to an uncertain fate.

What was a building site on St Mary’s Street is now a twisted mass of melted metal and charred remains.

Fist-sized “boulders of hot ash” flew from the burning building and thick, black smoke billowed across the city skyline on Tuesday afternoon.

More than 50 firefighters were called to the blaze which later spread to the roof of next-door flats at about 2pm.

People living and working nearby were evacuated as the fire grew, with many residents only now able to salvage what is left of their lives.

Around 30 people of all ages were told by police to gather at a reception centre set up at nearby City College.

On returning they found windows had shattered in the scorching heat of the fire and stock soaked through from hoses.

Jacek Chuchmala a 25-year-old painter and decorator who lives in a flat on St Mary’s Street, said: “The roof of our building is damaged. I have lost everything. It is very bad, there is soot everywhere. I am very scared. I need to find a new flat.”

Given temporary accommodation, by Southampton City Council, they are now realising the full impact of the fire with many uncertain of their futures.

Maria Anastasiou, a 24-year-old maritime business student at Solent University, said: “I was at work having my break and I saw smoke from Westquay.

"I thought my house was on fire so I ran home. I wanted to run inside and get my things but the police would not let me go in.

"I was desperate. I did not sleep last night, I couldn’t. I wanted to be sick. I am alone, I have nowhere to go.”

Ali Mohammadi, 38, the owner of Mobile Shop on St Mary’s street, said: “It was very scary, my shop is completely damaged, there is water everywhere and it is not safe because the roof fell through.”

The fire broke out at a vacant commercial property under construction in St Mary’s Street which, along with Kingsway, were shut following the blaze – one of the biggest in the city centre for many years.

Raz Sakhi, 50, the owner of Diana cake-decorating shop on the same street, said: “It’s a bad situation in my shop, everything is damaged and the back is burnt. I do not know what I will do.”

Balvinder Singh, who owns H&R Computers in St Mary’s Street, said: “Hundreds of laptops have got wet and the roof behind my shop is damaged.”