MANY people arrived at the Boulevard on Tuesday morning to find the place they had worked for years destroyed.
Eddie Fogarty could not hide his distress as he looked at the wrecked, blackened building, still smoking eight hours after the blaze was reported.
Eddie, of Lower Green Lane, Astley, had travelled each working day since 1985 to Eddie's Shoe Repairs.
"I've worked there for 15 years," he said, "I heard it on the television this morning, but nothing can prepare you for seeing that. It shatters you."
His work colleague, Steve Westwood, 32, had worked there for the same length of time.
He said: "Our boss is on holiday in Ibiza. I don't know what's going to happen to our jobs."
Christine Farnworth, of Gordon Street, Leigh, knew nothing about the blaze when she arrived for work at 8am.
Looking stunned and close to tears, she said: "I've worked at the Shades clothes shop for eight years and in the Boulevard for 14. I'm shocked, I don't know what to say."
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