A huge fire has ripped through a two-storey produce market in Glasgow.

The blaze broke out at the Blochairn Road warehouse at around 3.45am on Thursday.

Sixteen fire engines carrying around 80 firefighters were sent to the market near the M8.

The market supplies traders across Scotland with produce from the rest of the UK and Europe.

Fruit seller Hugh Proctor said the fire could affect restaurants, grocers and fishmongers nationwide.

"I went to work at 4am to see plumes of smoke from the M8," he said.

"By the time I got there the blaze had taken hold and looked like it had gone through the whole building, a total loss.

"It's unemployment for me, it'll put a lot of traders out of business. It's the main hub, the only place like it Scotland.

"At 3.55am this morning it was contained to one building and ten minutes later it had spread by the roof to the other buildings."

The blaze broke out as hundreds of workers began their shifts at the market. Explosions were heard inside as the fire spread rapidly through the building but nobody is believed to have been hurt.

The 32-acre site is the only wholesale fruit, vegetable, flower and fish market of its kind in Scotland. More than two million tonnes of produce worth over £250m pass through it each year.

Sarah Gulland, a shop assistant at Roots, Fruit and Flowers grocer in Finnieston, said traders might have to travel to England for produce.

"We get a fresh delivery every morning but we've not got one today and we're really struggling," she said.

"Today we've managed to just get by. We get all of our fruit and vegetables from the market every day. We try to keep our stock low so our produce is fresh.

"It's the main market for the whole of Scotland so our only other option is to go down to Gateshead."

City Property, an arms-length Glasgow City Council company which owns the market, said the fire broke out during peak trading hours.

A spokesman said: "We are hugely relieved that at this stage it appears no one has been injured and we have contacted all of our traders to check their staff are safe.

"We would like to thank the emergency services for their quick response. Our priority now is to establish alternative arrangements in order that normal business can resume as soon as possible.

"Plans are now progressing to put temporary measures into place to assist our tenants as best as we possibly can."

Authorities are believed to be investigating whether the fire began in a refrigerated area used to store meat.

Gary Johnstone, who was sorting fruit when the fire broke out, said he could not believe how rapidly the fire spread.

"It just tore through the building and spread rapidly," he said. "I started to run because of the smoke, and once the fire brigade arrived they were shouting for people to get out."

Blochairn Road is closed between Royston Road and Siemens Place and there were speed restrictions on the M8 due to smoke, which could be seen billowing into the sky from several miles away.

Glasgow City Council has warned drivers to avoid the area.

A spokeswoman for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) said: "Firefighters are currently tackling a large fire within a warehouse on Blochairn Road.

"A total of 12 appliances, four aerial appliances and support units were mobilised to the scene after the alarm was raised.

"Crews are using high-powered hoses to tackle and contain the flames."