Firefighters probe cause of blaze

BBC News website readers have sent in pictures of the blaze In pictures

An investigation involving sniffer dogs is continuing into the cause of a fire which partly destroyed a Cornish furniture store.

The owner of Christies in Penryn said customers should still get the goods they have ordered.

Two staff members managed to escape from the burning building - one was taken to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro but has since been sent home.

Investigators say the fire could have been caused by an electrical fault.

Up to 80 firefighters tackled the blaze which broke out at about midnight.

Managing director of Christies Peter Blells said he was relieved the workers managed to get out.

"There's a flat above the store - the manager was there quite late in the evening, the fire alarms went off and alerted them to it," he said.

"They had a look at the fire and phoned the fire brigade."

Water's edge

Cornwall Fire Brigade said it received more than 60 emergency calls about the blaze which is believed to have started in the Commercial Road store just before midnight.

At least 10 pumps were called from around the county - from Truro, Falmouth, St Austell, Redruth, Helston, Camborne, St Keverne, Perranporth and Mullion.

Crews were damping down the fire by 0400 GMT

The aerial ladder platforms from Truro and Newquay were brought on scene as well as a high volume pump and hose layer from Newquay.

The Falmouth Inshore lifeboat was also called as a precaution for firefighters working on the water's edge and it was used to pump water from the Penryn River.

Swedish translator Magnus Rubensson, who lives in Penryn, said he was in bed when he heard noises which sounded like fireworks going off.

"When I looked out I saw the fire over the rooftops and a large plume of smoke. It was obvious that it was a very large fire," he said.

"As far as I could see, the largest fire was in the middle of this block, but it then spread out towards the sides."

By 0400 GMT crews were damping down. Some asbestos was released during the fire and is being dealt with.

The road, which was closed for much of the day, has been reopened.