Warehouse saved after fierce factory fire contained

Fire crews have been praised for containing a fierce fire at a printing warehouse in Wetherby last night.

At its height, 20 fire engines and more than 100 firefighters from the surrounding areas of West and North Yorkshire tackled the blaze in Sandbeck Lane.

Dozens of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus fought the fire inside the factory and, ensured the fire did not spread. The vast majority of the building was saved.

West Yorkshire Chief Fire Officer Simon Pilling, who attended the incident as senior advisor, said: “Our tactics proved to be very successful as the vast majority of the building is still intact. Significant damage to machinery, equipment and stock was isolated to one half of the factory, therefore I am hopeful that the company will be able to recover business in the near future.”

CFO Pilling said the fire posed serious hazards to fire crews due to the intense heat and smoke. He added: “Crews worked extremely hard in punishing conditions at times and I was very impressed and pleased by the professionalism, commitment and determination of all who attended.”

Crews were initially called just after 8pm last night.

Stations in attendance were Wetherby, Harrogate, Cookridge, Hunslet, Featherstone, Wakefield, Knaresborough, Tadcaster, Stanningley, Shipley, Fairweather Green, Pontefract, Castleford, Moortown, Huddersfield, Leeds, Ossett,Rothwell, Dewsbury, Garforth and Killingbeck.

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental.