AN INVESTIGATION is being launched this morning into an overnight blaze which severely damaged an office in Swanwick Bursledon boatyard.

Forty firefighters were called to the water off Bridge Road just before midnight last night after reports of a warehouse fire.

The blaze severely damaged a first floor office and spread to the roofspace.

Hightown firefighters said there was "obvious damage" to the exterior of the warehouse.

Station manager Dave Graham said at the scene: "It was a very smoky fire so they found it difficult to actually locate the seat of the fire, which they finally did inside the office space.

"There were very high temperatures inside because of the construction of the building and the insulation so crews worked very hard to actually get in, get out and actually get some water on the fire."

Firefighters used high pressure ventilation to cool the interior before going in and removing hazardous material from the chandlery.

The ground floor was damaged by smoke and water but the rear premises were not damaged.

Crews left the scene by 7am after working through the night.

An investigation is being launched into the cause today.

A spokesman for Fareham Fire Station said it took over four hours to put out the flames.

Initially six pumps were sent, as an area ladder platform (ALP) but other fire stations were called for support later on.

He said there were two pumps sent from Hightown, two from St Mary’s as well as the ALP, one crew from Fareham and one from Botley.

The lead investigator has spoken to the owner of the building, station manager Graham said.