A PRINTING firm boss has spoken of his devastation after a fire ripped through one of his business units.

The blaze, at Pride Design & Print, Royds Enterprise Park, off Beacon Road, began on Sunday morning.

West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said a transit van parked in the unit caught fire. When crews arrived they found thick black smoke seeping out of the building.

They had to break down the unit’s roller shutters and eight firefighters in breathing gear went inside to tackle the fire.

The fire spread from the van to the building and smoke spread to at least four adjacent units.

Director Gary Pride, 44, of Low Moor said: “It’s totalled, the full building. We’ve been in business for 13 years now, we were going forward and it has just set us back 13 years - if we can come out of it.

“I’m gutted, I don’t even know if I slept. It’s just weird, like a daydream at the moment.”

The unit was full of printing equipment used for vehicle and sign writing, estimated to have cost around £50,000, as well as some customer’s vehicles.

In total, the damage is thought to run to more than £150,000.

And Mr Pride’s brother Craig, 40, had to be taken to hospital after suffering burns in the incident. He added: “I’m just glad my brother is alright and no one has died. He could have easily. I just don’t know what we’re doing at the moment to be honest - it’s just a shock.”

The firm took on the second business unit as part of a plan to build the business up.

But despite the tough time ahead, Mr Pride has praised the support the firm has received in the face of the devastation.

“It’s amazing, absolutely amazing,” he said.

“Royds have been absolutely amazing, everyone has.”

And sending a message to customers, the firm wrote on Facebook: “Devastating day today for Pride Design after 13 years building up the business all has gone up in smoke, as our larger unit caught fire this morning.

“The next few months will be difficult but we will rise again. If our customers can bare with us over the next few weeks until we can get back on our feet, and thank you again for your continued support.”

  • A fire service spokesperson said its investigation team is treating the fire as "accidental and most likely to have been caused by careless discarding of smoking materials (cigarette)."

However, Mr Pride said the fire had been started by a heat gun.