Firefighters continue to tame blaze-hit Tipton factory unit

Firefighters remained at the site on Horseley Road in Horseley Heath today after arsonists struck late on Saturday night.

Crews were expected to continue damping down for a further two days.

Dozens of firefighters tackled flames as the huge blaze took hold after arsonists struck at just after 11pm on Saturday night.

• 60 firefighters tackle Tipton factory blaze

Around 40 per cent of the unit was damaged and the roof partially collapsed. The fire is being treated as arson.

Crew commander Paul Sears from Tipton fire station, said the unit was full of plastic and paper and being used for storage.

At its height there were 10 pumps there in the night and an hydraulic platform. West Midlands Fire Service station commander David Hilton, said: "The void old unit had compressed and shredded bales of recycled material, paper, bits of plastic and textiles in one ton bales.

"That was dealt with overnight on Saturday to a certain extent.

"Yesterday we liaised with the council in order to get contractors on to bring the smouldering bales out which were broken up so we could put them out properly as when they are compressed we are unable to."

He said crews were also damping down at the site.

The building is unsafe, or various areas of it are because of partial collapse of the roof. The building itself will be pulled down." Mr Hilton said all indications pointed to arson being the cause of the fire.

"Based on our fire investigation we are looking at arson or a deliberate fire," he said.

"One reason is that the fire did not start outside and go in.

"There is no electricity to the premises, no gas goes into the premises.

"So the only other option is a potential that the products inside heated and self ignited.

"But, because of the temperature and the fact these bales must have been in there for a number of years then it is a heavy indication that it was lit deliberately."

He added there were no neighbouring factory units and it was not known who owned the building.

Meanwhile, firefighters also today remained at the site of a huge blaze which ripped through a recycling firm in Kidderminster a week ago.

Hereford and Worcester fire service has been at Lawrence Recycling in Stourport Road 24 hours a day since the blaze broke out last Sunday.

Thousands of tons of packed cardboard and plastic stored in three rear bays went up in smoke.

Although the flames were brought under control within a few hours, material has continued to burn. Crews have been on site all week. One crew remained at the scene today.

Work has included containing the majority of fire fighting water on site, and preventing it from escaping into the nearby Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal and River Severn.

Meanwhile, an investigation into how the fire started is also continuing.

Following concerns raised by the Wyre Forest Green Party and Friends of the Earth over the blaze, the second in six months at the site, the Environment Agency defended its position.

A spokesman said the agency recommended several actions regarding waste storage and fire prevention measures following the first fire.

He added: "Our role is to ensure that business can operate without compromising environmental standards or causing a risk to people.

"Following this incident we will be working with the fire service to ascertain the reason for the fire and to put measures in place to reduce the risk of this happening in the future.

"At the moment our priority is to provide support and advice to the fire service so that the environmental impacts from the fire are limited."