A family who run a coffee roastery have launched a plea to help rebuild their business after “decades of hard work, sweat, and tears” went up in flames.

Hormozi Coffee, which is on Sittingbourne’s Eurolink Industrial Estate, was devastated by a fire at the premises on Friday (April 25).

One of the owners, Rubin Hormozi, says equipment and records were all destroyed during the blaze, which started around 11.50am in the unit they have occupied since 2018.

He and his father, Chireh, heard the smoke alarm go off and rushed upstairs to find flames had taken hold on the first floor of the unit in the Precision 4 Business Park.

Speaking to KentOnline from outside the unit today (April 28), the 30-year-old said: “It was pitch black with smoke.

“We tried to put it out using 15 fire extinguishers. Even my dad, who is in his 60s, was trying to put it out.

“But we had a lot of cardboard and disposable cups, which caught fire and it got big.

“It was the most frightening thing that has ever happened in my life.”

After leaving the building, he said they could see the flames coming out of the windows and the roof.

The fire was so ferocious, more than 100 emergency workers were sent. The last of them left the scene the following day, just after 1.15pm.

Rubin says the unit now looks like “Chernobyl or a scene from a horror film”.

He said: “It is heartbreaking. Decades of our family’s hard work, sweat, and tears became kindling for the fire.

“I have no idea how it happened and what’s going to happen, whether we can rebuild or if someone can help us with a unit.

“It could not have come at a worse time for me personally, as I have just had the birth of my first son.

“We are hoping our insurance will cover us.”

Hormozi set up a GoFundMe page on Saturday (April 26) to raise funds to get the business back on its feet.

Almost £2,000 has already been donated, with next-door neighbours Mid Kent Mezzanine Ltd gifting £400 even though they have suffered too - their roof was cut open so firefighters could pour water on the blaze.

Rubin, who has been outside the unit all weekend, said the support the business had received was “fantastic”.

He added: “I did not expect the response from the community. Everyone has been helping us.”

One of those who helped was Alan Wombell, who is a director at RMS Ltd which makes specialised equipment for the disabled.

RMS has a unit a few down from Hormozi and its main site in nearby Thompson House.

Alan, who lives in Gravesend, said he was walking to his car around midday when he saw the fire.

The 61-year-old said: “It was huge. You could see it coming out of the front and the back of the building.

“Luckily, we were unscathed.

“I stayed here until 8pm, with our other unit open for people to come to get away from the fire and for tea and coffee.”