TWO firefighters had to be treated for their injuries after fire ripped through a garage stacked with tyres last night.

At its height, 50 firefighters were dealing with the blaze at Fast Fit Tyres, in Thomas Street, Langley Park, on the outskirts of Durham City.

Thick black smoke billowed over the area after the fire, which started at about 7.30pm, caught hold of tyres stored in the single-storey building.

Heat was so intense that most of the brick-built building's steel roof collapsed, and crews battled for almost two hours to bring the blaze under control.

A fire crew from Durham City, under station officer Peter Hewitson, was first on the scene and it is thought the two injured men were among this team.

They were treated for dehydration by paramedics, as colleagues from nine fire appliances - a large part of the brigade's strength - in the county, tackled the blaze.

Cars parked inside the building and four oxyacetelene cylinders added to the danger and had to be brought out by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

As acrid smoke poured into the surrounding streets, electricity to hundreds of homes had to be cut off as flames threatened overhead cables and buildings nearby.

As Northern Electric officials began work to restore power to the area, Environment Agency staff monitored the effect on pollutants from the blaze reaching the nearby River Browney.

Divisional officer Ian Dockerty said it had been a difficult night. "Initially, it was very demanding on the crews," he said.