Probe into Bolton blaze which wrecked cars

7:49am Thursday 15th May 2008

AN investigation has begun into the cause of a huge fire which destroyed cars and sent billowing black smoke across Little Lever and Radcliffe.

A team of fire investigators will work with forensic insurance experts to determine the cause of the blaze at the Bradley Fold Trading Estate on Tuesday.

Crews had to keep off the site for 24 hours after the fire because dangerous gas cylinders which could have exploded were discovered amid the flames.

Six cars were burnt out and another 15 damaged in the blaze as leaking liquid latex caught fire and spread to the vehicles.

Local people were told to keep doors and windows closed while the fire raged.

Roads were cordoned off as crews dealt with the blaze and they used water from nearby Star Mount Lodge to douse the flames, which were fanned by strong winds.

Debbie Worrall, from Salford, had her Honda Civic gutted in the blaze.

She said: "We could see the flames going really near to the cars. I wanted to run over and get it but I was stopped.

"I did have a cry, I must admit. I loved the car. It's the family car so it's going to be really inconvenient."

Firefighters were called to the estate at 11.20am on Tuesday when the fire broke out in a large compound used by Plus Polymers Limited, a plastic recycling company.

As crews tackled the blaze, they discovered an acetylene cylinder among the burning plastic and had to place a 24-hour exclusion zone of 200 metres around the area.

Hundreds of workers were evacuated from the trading estate and nearby roads were closed as smoke rose into the sky above Little Lever and Radcliffe during the afternoon.

The industrial estate remained closed until around 1.30pm yesterday to allow a fire investigation team and a representative from gas canister company BOC to check the cylinder was safe to be removed. Paul Clarricoates, the managing director of Plus Polymers Limited, says he will lose tens of thousands of pounds because of the fire.

"We're just very grateful no one has been hurt in this," he said. "There has been damage, but at least it's only materials. Everyone on the estate was great and rallied round."

Mr Clarricoates stressed that the acetylene canister found in the blaze did not belong to the company.

"It's been dumped there," he said. "We have a lot of plastic stored here and people assume it's scrap and think they can get away with it."

The findings from the investigation will be released at a later date.

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