The blaze, which is thought to have been triggered by an electrical fault, started at around 4am in Ivens Chemist in Tachbrook Street.

Emergency services were alerted by the shop's burglar alarm and once fire crews started to tackle the flames they discovered a gas main had also been ruptured and gas was burning.

Ben Harrison, watch manager for White Watch, said flames reached six foot at their peak.

He said: "We had to evacuate around ten neigbouring flats above and surrounding the chemist because of the leaking gas and risk of explosion."

Smoke spread into flats above the parade of shops but nobody was injured.

Two crews from Leamington fire station dealt with the fire, while Fire and Emergency Support Service volunteers provided residents with shelter and hot drinks.

Police closed off the road and workers from E.On and National Grid were called in to isolate the main.

One Market corner resident, who asked not to be named, said he was awoken shortly after 4am by police officers banging on the door to evacuate the building.

He said: "I could see smoke coming out of the doorway and firefighters working. They seemed pretty much on top of things.

"The flats were filling up with smoke. There was continuous smoke all the way."

He praised emergency services, including the fire and emergency support service.

Support service volunteer Jeff Stevens said: "The whole block was evacuated. We had around 20 to 25 people and looked after their welfare for two to three hours.