Printomedia and Print Promotions were both consumed in the early-morning blaze. 

Leicester Fire & Rescue was alerted to the fire at 3.11am on 2 December, and investigations are still ongoing as to the cause. A total of eight fire engines attended the scene. 

Video taken by neighbouring plumbing business Nexus shows firefighters pumping water directly through holes in the roof, after it partially collapsed. 

Hemant Singh, Printomedia’s co-managing director, told Printweek that he leapt in the car as soon as he heard about the fire.

He said: “Printing was scheduled, tasks were scheduled, so I was about to leave Coventry to come to [work], and all of a sudden I see videos, people telling me that [an adjacent business] is on fire, that I should come quick if I want to save anything.

“Ok, I thought I’ll try my best. It took me around 45 minutes to get here – by that point, it was all cordoned off. There was no point.”

The fire has meant substantial losses for Singh, which he hopes to recover through insurance.

Print kit included a Heidelberg Speedmaster 74, an HP Latex wide-format machine and several Zünd digital cutting tables.

“It’s all gone to rubble,” Singh said.

“They are demolishing the building and taking everything out. It’s right in front of me: I’m standing over here, and I can see the rubble on the road.”

As well as the two print businesses, the fire severely damaged the upstairs floor, which was under renovation, and at least one neighbouring business.

Residents on three local streets have been warned to keep their windows closed, as the smoke has combined with foggy conditions to form a low-lying smog, hanging over the district.

Demolition for the burned-out building is set for 5pm today (4 December).

No one is believed to have been injured in the fire.