INVESTIGATIONS into a major fire at the Northallerton Tyre and Battery Company have concluded that the cause was accidental.

Several nearby homes had to be evacuated and part of Brompton Road was closed off for a day after the fire broke out on the evening of January 16.

Fire investigators initially used drones to provide footage of the site as the risk of unexploded cylinders in the garage made it a particularly dangerous site in the aftermath of the blaze.

The Northern Echo:

This week a spokeswoman from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that the fire did not appear to be as a result of any foul play.

She said: "The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, and it is therefore not being treated as suspicious."

North Yorkshire Police were also involved in the early stages of the investigation,something which a spokesman for the force said was 'standard protocol'.

The building was decimated by the blaze and is expected to be demolished.