A TRAILER dealer has praised firefighters for saving him from financial ruin by containing a potentially disastrous blaze in his compound.

Guy Auchterlonie, the proprietor of Hobson Trailers, said he had suffered damages amounting to more than £10,000 when a blaze - which is being treated as suspicious - destroyed several trailers on Thursday night.

Mr Auchterlonie, who was not insured against the losses, said: "The damages were well over £10,000. It is like a kick in the teeth, but it could have been a lot worse.

"The firefighters did an excellent job in containing the fire. If it had spread through the rest of the yard, it could have cost me more than £100,000 and could have wiped out my business."

Mr Auchterlonie, who trades in trailers for articulated trucks, from the Hobson Industrial Estate, Burnopfield, County Durham, said he had lost three trailers and two fridge boxes, which were being prepared for export.

He said: "We have had problems with theft before, and intruders have broken through the fence at the back.

"The fence has been pulled wide open this time.

"Investigators have not determined the cause of the fire, but it could have been started deliberately."

Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service district manager Tom Simms, who was supervising officer at the time of the blaze, said the fire had been reported at 11.45pm on Thursday.

The first pump in attendance immediately called for the help of two more appliances.

Mr Simms said: "There were trailer units in the yard which were parked compactly and very close to each other, making access difficult.

"The first crew under watch manager Jim Bittlestone did a wonderful job. Their tactics were right, and they got in where they had to and prevented fire from spreading any further."

Two jets and six breathing apparatus were used in fighting the fire.

Mr Simms said: "To make things more complicated, the fire spread to gorse behind the yard and, driven by wind, the flames were making their way towards a plantation of woodland.

"We had to stop that as well, so another jet was deployed and another appliance called out.

"More than 20 firefighters were involved at the height of the fire."

Mr Simms said investigations by scenes of crime officers from the police had proved inconclusive.

He said: "There is no evidence to suggest it was arson, neither can it be ruled out."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the police on 0845 60 60 365.