A
Major blaze at a North Lincolnshire food factory was finally brought under
control this morning after nearly 12 hours.
Residents
from Barton-upon-Humber, and even across the river in Hull, were warned to
stay indoors as a cloud of vapour, said to be similar to World War One mustard
gas, drifted across the area. 
Firefighters
said the potentially deadly gas was released as fire ripped through the huge
Geest food factory.
It was understood the fire badly damaged the refrigeration unit and
polystyrene wall panels at the plant, giving off the highly toxic fumes.
The alert was raised at 10.23pm yesterday, said a spokesman for Humberside
Fire and Rescue Service.
Night shift workers at the factory were led to safety from the plant.
The fire started in a packaging area near the bakery section of the factory.
Group manager Nick Granger, of Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said:
"We got the call about 10.30 last night.
"When the first crews arrived, there had been a full evacuation and there
was a seriously developing fire."
He said staff at the plant had used fire extinguishers to tackle the blaze -
but could not bring it under control, and called the fire brigade.
He said the construction of the factory was a steel-sandwich panelled with a
polystyrene core and it was the polystyrene which had fuelled the growing
blaze.
He said there were toxic fumes coming from the burning polystyrene, which
drifted across the Humber and affected west Hull.
"As the fire progressed, the roof was collapsing at a very alarming rate.
Thankfully, most people were in bed asleep at the time.
"It's too early to say what caused the fire, but we have had a fire
investigation officer on site most of the night."
There were 19 separate fire appliances, including a turntable ladder. At the
height of the blaze, 125 firefighters were in attendance.
This morning, the fire was under control, but not out as there were still
pockets of fire. Firefighters were expected to be at the site for the
remainder of the day.
People were advised to keep their windows and doors closed if they were
affected by the smoke.
However, as the morning wore on, firefighters said the threat from the spread
of toxic fumes across a huge area had 'significantly reduced'.
Crews 'feared the worst' during the night as smoke poured from the fire.
Thousands
of people living in the surrounding area and across the Humber in Hull, were
warned to close their doors and windows, as night shift workers at the factory
were led to safety.
Mr Granger said this morning: "We're definitely on the up rather than the
down now.
"I have to say during the night it was looking fairly grim.
"Now there has been a significant reduction in the amount of the smoke
and the wind direction has changed."
Mr Granger went on: "There has been a tremendous level of destruction.
The factory has been razed."
The Geest plant is on an industrial estate on Antelope Road in Barton, and
there were fears at one point the
town would need to be evacuated.
Mr granger said although dangerous refrigerants were involved in the early
part of the blaze, the main concern was from the smoke produced by the burning
sandwich panels from which the building itself was made.
He said: "The level of smoke has reduced considerably now we've been
successful in knocking the fire down, but if anyone does see smoke in their
vicinity they should still keep their doors and windows closed."
Helen Wilson, of nearby Cornhill Drive, said the first she knew of the blaze
was when she heard the sirens from the fire engines.
"The fire engines woke us up at about 11pm. We were just looking out of
the window.
"All we could see out of the window was the flames. We could see fire and
clouds of smoke drifting across the river."
Another neighbour, who declined to be named, added: "I didn't know
anything until this morning. It's amazing how things like this can happen.
"You just don't know anything, yet you live so close."
Christine Killick, of Pasture Road, Barton, said: "I live just round the
corner and we just found out this morning. I have been told its burnt to the
ground. It will be devastating for the town because so many people work
there."
April
2005
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