The devastated owner of a textile company which went up in flames fears his business may be over.

Mohammed Ashraf Hussain, who runs Startex Commission Weavers in Manningham, said today he had been left stunned by the fire.

It gutted the building, pictured, in Priestman Street on Monday night, causing thousands of pounds of damage

Police and fire investigators said there was nothing to indicate it had been started deliberately.

Mr Hussain built up the business when he took over in April last year after a previous arson attack caused £500,000 of damage.

"I have got nothing left in here. Everything was destroyed, machines and raw materials," said Mr Hussain. "I want to restart but I don't know how to go about it. We had lots of orders to get out but how long are the customers going to wait?"

Some of the firm's 36 employees who turned up at the building yesterday left in tears, not knowing when or if they would be able to return to work.

"My staff are very loyal. They are more like friends and this is a big loss to them as well as me because it is very hard to find a job in Bradford at the moment," said Mr Hussain. "We are still trying to figure out a way around it. It is not something we can restart tomorrow."

Detective Inspector Shaun Berry, of Bradford North CID, said: "The building was left in a dangerous condition and examination has been difficult, but there is nothing to indicate there is anything to blame other than an electrical fault or discarded cigarette."

Meanwhile firefighters today complained they had been sent away from the scene before it was safe. Steve Lofthouse, divisional secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said firefighters were ordered to leave by 8.30am.

"The fire was not out. There were still flames there. Our concern is that had we been working normally we would have had pumps there all day.

"The point was that we didn't finish. We didn't go on strike until 9am and the incident should have continued to be dealt with."

Green Goddess crews arrived at 9.30am to damp down.

West Yorkshire chief fire officer Phil Toase said: "The officer in charge was quite satisfied that the appliance could return to the station to be in place for the start of industrial action at 9am.

"There was one fire engine left and it was just damping down one or two hot spots. We have had officers visit throughout the day, checking on the damping down."