The owners of a Shropshire chip shop destroyed in a massive explosion today spoke of their devastation at the loss of their family-run business.

See also: Broseley explosion in pictures

The Broseley Chippy, which was reduced to a pile of rubble during yesterday’s explosion, was owned by Parmajit Sandhu and his wife Manjit, known to customers as Mandy.

He had taken his late father’s ashes to India when the business exploded in flames.

Mrs Sandhu was woken by police at their home in The Rock, Telford, early yesterday to be told of the blaze, which happened about 2.15am.

After visiting the High Street site, she was forced to ring her husband in India to tell him about the loss of his business. He is now trying to get a flight home.

Mrs Sandhu, 41, said: “We are all devastated. It is one big shock, but we are so happy nobody was in there and there were no other people around.”

The cause of the fire and explosion is under investigation, but is believed to have been a gas explosion of some sort.

A Shropshire Fire & Rescue spokeswoman said a fire investigation officer had returned to the site this morning.

Mrs Sandhu paid tribute to the people of Broseley for their support following the blast.

“It’s like one big happy family in Broseley,” she said.

“Once when I didn’t go to the shop for a while, I missed the customers and they miss us.”

Mrs Sandhu said her husband had bought the business four years ago.

A fire investigation is under way to find out how the fire started.