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Up in smoke

Rob Dawson
17/ 9/2008

STOCKPORT was engulfed in a pall of black smoke and fumes yesterday after fire ripped through a chemical factory.

Emergency evacuations were needed to send residents and factory staff to safety as the blaze took hold in Heaviley.

There were fears that the fire - which broke out at the European Colour Pigment Ltd plant on Christie Street - might have spread to chemicals as flames leapt hundreds of feet into the sky.

As well as those evacuated, residents living in Hillgate and Heaviley were ordered to keep doors and windows shut as black smoke billowed over Stockport town centre early in the morning.

Police also closed a number of roads, causing chaos to rush hour traffic on St Mary’s Way, Hempshaw Lane, Hall Street and the A6.

It is believed the fire started after the extraction system in the building caught fire.

Around 25 firefighters attended the blaze, along with five fire engines and two aerial appliances.

Despite the ferocity of the fire, no-one was injured.

Mike Robinson, 59, of Hempshaw Lane, who could see the smoke from his home only a few hundred yards from the factory, said: "I saw the flames coming out of the chimney. That thing was blazing. I shut all of the windows because police said there might be toxic fumes.

"When I was on the road outside I just couldn’t breathe."

Mike, who took the picture on page one, added: "When they first opened the chemical plant there were a few protests. It wants checking out."

Marjorie Bundy, 67, of Christie Street, said: "I heard the fire engines and looked out of the window and saw sheets and sheets of black smoke.

"We were lucky the wind was blowing the other way because there was so much smoke."

She added: "We kicked up about 20 years ago when we heard they wanted to open a chemical factory and now we’ve been proved right."

David Backhouse, 53, of Alberta Street, added: "I saw the fireman spray the building with water and then I heard what sounded like the roof collapse.

"There was a lot of black smoke and the police were telling people to move away. The smell from the smoke was making me retch. I was heaving."

Speaking close to the scene, European Colour Pigment Ltd’s plant manager, Gary Bristow told us: "We will be starting our own investigation into the fire when we are allowed back into the building. We will know more after that.

"There were people in the building when the fire started but the evacuation procedures we have in place have worked and everyone was out very quickly. From a health point of view everyone is okay and that’s the main thing."

He added: "We have no reason to believe there has been a chemical release but United Utilities are still in the building doing tests, so that is yet to be confirmed.

"The fire has damaged a key area of the infrastructure at the plant so it will be some time before we can get back to normal."

Paul Duggan, a spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, said early indications suggested there was structural damage to the building and added that the exact cause of the blaze was still under investigation.

He said: "The fire broke out in the mill building but was isolated to the roof space.

"The public were told to keep windows and doors shut but this is just a precaution. It is not thought that chemicals in the building were involved in the fire."

A Police spokesman added: "Residents in Hillgate and Heaviley were advised to stay indoors and asked to keep their doors and windows closed.

"As a precaution, some homes and businesses were evacuated, and a number of roads were closed."