Aerial pictures reveal aftermath of Baldock industrial estate fire

The aerial images reveal collapsed roofs and burned out industrial units

Aerial images have revealed the aftermath of an industrial estate fire that destroyed more than 40 businesses.

More than 15 fire crews attended the blaze off London Road in Baldock, at about 18:15 BST on Tuesday.

Hertfordshire Fire Service declared it a major incident, with firefighters staying on scene for much of Wednesday.

A community meeting held on Thursday heard business owners tell of the mental toll of losing their livelihoods.

At its height more than 15 fire appliances were on the scene on Tuesday

Pictures of the scene five days on show collapsed roofs and mangled wreckage.

Hertfordshire Fire Service said it believed the fire started accidentally in the north-east area near a tower, spreading rapidly and ferociously throughout the estate.

Andrew Day, the director at nightclub London 24 which was due to open in two weeks' time, said the fire had had a devastating effect on the mental health of business owners.

Dozens of individual businesses were lost in the blaze

He said he and business partner Kareem Kamil had lost their life savings in the incident.

"Being weeks away from opening and [then] get everything just torn from us is a bit of a shock mentally," father-of-three Mr Day added.

"It's not just the work we've put in here, it's the work we've done through out lives to get to this stage."

Andrew Day said the fire had taken a toll on the mental health of the business owners

The fire took hold in the industrial estate on Tuesday evening with crews from Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire attending

Mr Kamil also told how "everything had gone to ashes" and he "100% feared for my life".

"A lot of people have been here for over 30 years," he said.

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