He told the Kent and Sussex Courier: "The fire started at the front of the garage and due to the natural way fire develops in a confined space, the heat rose and travelled across the ceiling, causing another fire at the opposite side of the building. So we had an unusual situation of a source of ignition at both ends of the garage."

He counted 25 cubic metres of company documents and archived boxes of paperwork and said the crews from Southborough and Tunbridge Wells had to dig out the "wall of paper".

"I had to mobilise another appliance because our men were having to work so hard in such a hot environment and flames were rising out from the doors," he said.

Witnesses at the scene on Monday reported youngsters playing around the garages earlier that night.

Neighbour David Beach, who rents the next garage along, said the fire had been a hazard waiting to happen.

"The door hadn't even been sealed properly or locked and papers had been blowing all over the place," he said, adding he had been reporting it to Town and Country Housing Group, which owns the garages, for several weeks.

Mr Beach showed Kent and Sussex Courier some of the documents he had picked up over the weeks.

All relating to a Tonbridge company, Worldwide Tailor Made Holidays, they contained invoices and passenger lists for customers who had booked holidays with the firm in 2005. One document was a photocopy of a Barclays cheque.

Keeper of the garage Peter Lee confirmed he worked for the travel company.

"The first we heard about it was yesterday afternoon when police phoned to say the fire had taken place. There had never been any warning about the door lying open," he said.

He confirmed he stored "bits and pieces" of paperwork in the garage and said customers would be informed of the incident.

Mr Lee added he would not store paperwork in the garage in future and the paper was currently being cleared.

Meanwhile Mr Beach is waiting to see if the car he was storing in his garage is still roadworthy.

"No one has officially rung me to tell me my garage is a mess. I tried to get in the other day but the door has welded shut with the heat of the fire. It's a classic car and I have a feeling it's going to be a total write-off when it comes out."

A spokesman from Town and Country said the tenancy agreement stated that garages were only let out to store vehicles and not for any other purpose.

He said the tenant had been told to remove the papers and the door secured while awaiting a replacement.

"We have arranged for a contractor to clear the material and dispose of it as confidential waste. We are currently assessing the damage to the garages and will be in touch with the other people who rent them as soon as possible."

West Kent Police believes the fire was started deliberately some time between 9.15 and 9.30pm.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Richard O'Toole on 01732 379351 or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. Information can be emailed to appeals.westkent@kent.pnn.police.uk.