A RETIRED homeowner was left feeling blue - along with local moggies - after bags of ink powder "exploded" into the air during a fire.

Witold Juckiewicz, 69, from Coppins Road, Clacton, claims he has been unable to leave his home following the incident.

Firefighters were called to a blaze involving a boat and a shed in Coronation Road last Tuesday at 8.54pm.

Mr Juckiewicz, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and his wife, Doula, were shocked to see the bags explode as firecrews tackled the blaze.

It left nearby homes, fences, patios, roofs and even cats and dogs covered in a blue coating.

The retired building engineer said: “It was a big bag of dye and it exploded into the air. They all looked like Smurfs.

“It’s all down the road, a cordon was in place to start with.”

Mr Juckiewicz said the dye came from a printers in Colchester which went out of businesses a number of years ago.

He said: “I found out this substance doesn’t set alight, it just smoulders. You can’t put it out – it has to burn itself out.

“We can’t go out of the house and I’ve had environmental health in twice a day.

“My son was helping by trying to tidy it up, but he was told he’s not allowed to touch it.

“I’ve got 23 grandchildren and they can’t come to visit me at present.”

Mr Juckiewicz said the cause of the fire is unknown but that it destroyed his son’s speedboat.

A spokesman for Essex Fire Service said: “There was also eight large sacks of blue ink powder next to shed which were also involved in the fire.

“Due to the presence of the ink powder, crews requested the attendance of the environment health.

“The powder was confirmed to be non-hazardous by scientific advisors but due to its composition, it would continue to smoulder for some days.

“Firefighters dug a trench around the affected area of leaked powder and filled it with sand to protect the area.

“Fire crews also revisited the incident for the following few days to check it was still safe. The incident was left in the care of the owners and environment health.”

A spokesman for Tendring Council said: “The council is undertaking investigations in relation to this incident.

“This involves seeking advice in relation to some of the key ingredients of the material to determine what further actions are required.

"Once this information has been received it should be possible to identify how to deal with the material which would include removing it from the site."