Last updated at 10:17, Friday, 03 August 2012

Householders were urged to shut their windows and stay indoors after a fire at a garage in Silloth.

A 200-metre exclusion zone was put in place around Blackdyke Industrial Estate, near Silloth.

Firefighters spent almost five hours battling the blaze at the Oakline Garage, which repairs commercial vehicles.

One man, a 63-year-old, who had been in the building when the fire started, was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation and shock. He is believed to be the owner of the garage.

Fire control received a 999 call just before 6pm yesterday. The roof of the garage was ablaze and a wall had collapsed.

The building contained canisters of acetylene gas, which is used in welding and explosive when hot.

Engines from Silloth, Aspatria, Wigton and Carlisle attended.

Asbestos was also thought to be in the building. As a result, police set up a 200m (218 yard) cordon around the building and advised anyone living nearby to keep their doors and windows closed.

Fire crews remained at the scene until just after 10.40pm. The restrictions were called off at 2am, when the area was declared safe.

“It was an extremely well-developed fire and firefighters faced a number of risks fighting it and controlling it,” said Adrian Holm, duty officer at the scene.

A police spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances regarding the blaze.

First published at 21:11, Thursday, 02 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk