FIREFIGHTERS have extinguished a large scrap fire in Craghead, near Stanley, this afternoon (Thursday, May 28).

The County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service was alerted to the blaze at about 4pm.

The service’s group manager Steve Wharton said: "We got calls of a large amount of smoke at a yard near Railway Street, Craghead,

"On arrival we found there was a caravan and about 60 tonnes of scrap metal well alight.

"Among that found two propane gas cylinders which were cooled - and once cooled they are relatively safe."

He added: "We also found one oxy-acetylene cylinder rig. The concern is that if it is involved in fire it can be quite unstable and we used monitored jets to cool it down."

"The quick action of the crew had prevented the need for exclusion zone to be thrown up around the area."

Two appliances from High Handenhold and one appliance from Consett attended the fire.

Mr Whartons said: "The fire had been extinguished, but there are numerous pockets of hot-spots, so a night shift crew will continue to monitor the site."

Police have deemed the fire accidental.