Factory blaze treated as suspicious (From The Northern Echo)

Factory blaze treated as suspicious

12:44pm Friday 3rd September 2010 in

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A BLAZE which severely damaged part of a disused factory in Shildon is being treated as suspicious.

A joint investigation involving the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service and Durham Police is under way to establish the cause of the fire at the vacant Ashfield Distribution Hub, in Dale Road Industrial Estate, on Wednesday.

Flames and smoke could be seen up to a mile away and the fire service received 18 calls from concerned people living nearby as the fire took hold at about 6.30pm.

Six fire service appliances from Bishop Auckland, Newton Aycliffe, Darlington and Crook fought the blaze, and several firefighters remained there overnight and yesterday morning, cooling down hotspot areas.

Michael Stephens, the station manager leading the fire service's investigation, said: "The fire is being treated as suspicious and a joint investigation with the police is at an early stage.

"When we arrived at the scene there were flames coming from several windows and the building was well alight.

"The fire was contained to about 30 per cent of the property. The offices were severely damaged, but the fire service was able to stop it from spreading to the rest of the building.

"We removed a number of gas cylinders before they were involved in the fire, which prevented the incident from developing further.

"They are a major hazard in themselves."

The former banana distribution centre has been empty for about nine months and was due to be demolished to make way for housing.

It remained cordoned off yesterday while investigations were carried out.

A spokesman for Durham Police said: "Police were notified of the blaze shortly before 7pm on Wednesday, and attended after fire and rescue requested our help to secure the area.

"A t this stage it is being treated as suspicious, but until the fire investigation team has had a chance to examine the scene in depth we won't know for certain it was started deliberately.

"If any residents saw anyone acting suspiciously in the area we would, obviously, ask them to get in touch."

Call Durham Police 0345-6060-365 or Crimestoppers 0800555-111.