Owner shocked and devastated by kebab van blaze

A shocked kebab van owner is said to be ‘devastated’ after a fire tore through his van.

Crews from Wargrave and Wokingham Road were called to fight the blaze which gutted the Dilara kebab van, parked in the grounds of Hare Hatch Sheeplands in London Road, on Wednesday last week.

They were unable to salvage the van which was completed destroyed and police have yet to rule out arson.

The family live in Reading but have asked not to be named.

A family friend said: "They are in shock.

"They are devastated. This is their only business so it is going to be a difficult time for them.”

The van caught fire at about 3am and firefighters wore breathing apparatus and hose reels to extinguish the blaze before leaving at about 5am.

The billowing smoke and flames almost spread to the Petstop store, also in the grounds of the farm centre.Andrea Tandy, marketing manager at Sheeplands, lives near the centre and was woken by the fire and called 999.

“It was an unbelievable sight,” she said.

“There was lots of noise and bangs going off and the fire almost spread to the Petstop store which is right next to the van."

A police spokesman said CCTV would be reviewed. He said: “Investigations are ongoing to establish if it was arson or an accidental fire."

Anyone with information should phone police on 101.