FIRE experts were sifting through the remains of a print factory yesterday in a bid to discover the cause of a major blaze.

Sixty firefighters in 12 appliances were involved in tackling the blaze, which destroyed one of two units at Reed Print and Design, on the Wear Industrial Estate, Washington, Wearside.

The fire ripped through the 50 sq metre printworks production site shortly before 2.30am on Saturday.

The firefighting effort was hindered by a huge blast, believed to have been caused by an acetylene cylinder exploding in the heat, forcing crews to withdraw from the building.

Smoke-billowed across the nearby A1(M) and could be seen from a wide area around Washington and Birtley.

The actions of the firefighters prevented the blaze spreading to a neighbouring 30 sq metre warehouse unit.

Station officer Paul Anderson, of Washington fire station, said the blaze was well alight when his crew arrived, with flames shooting through a corner of the factory's roof