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BREAKING: Blaze destroys Malvern firm
A MASSIVE fire has destroyed a car tyre and battery workshop in Malvern.
Thirty firefighters battled the blaze at the Auto Tyre and Battery Company in Spring Lane.
At its height a ball of thick black smoke could be seen as far away as Worcester as flames leapt 40ft into the air.
As the firefighers fought to control the blaze a group of sea cadets had to be evacuated from a nearby building, and explosions of car batteries were reported by onlookers.
Firefighters were immediately at the scene, and managed to contain the blaze, preventing it from spreading to neighbouring buildings.
They also removed 15 gas cylinders from the building next door, four cars from the workshop and a quantity of tyres.
Hundreds of people gathered to watch the inferno.
Brian Metcalf was at the scene when the blaze started at 7.34pm tonight.
"Flames were ripping through the roof, it was huge, the flames were massive and the cloud of smoke was covering the whole of the north west of Malvern.
"It was really intense."
Police closed Spring Lane to traffic as they tried to move onlookers away from the cloud of smoke, and advised people to stay inside with their doors and windows shut.
Thirteen-year-old Joe Brooker, who lives in Spring Lane, went to investigate the blaze when he saw the thick plume of smoke.
"It smelt really bad, there were some flames but the air filled up with smoke and it was really black," he said.
"I have never seen anything like that before. It is weird happening in Malvern, it just does not happen.
"I wonder what caused it?"
The fire is the biggest Malvern has seen since toilet paper factory ESP went up in flames on the Enigma Business Park in November 2006.
Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service was called to the blaze after Police Community Support Officers CSOs on a routine patrol of the area noticed smoke and heard alarms going off.
Incident commander Ian Jallands from the fire service said: "We managed to contain the fire despite premises either side being extremely close.
"It was a big job and a serious fire. The main problem has probably been the water supply, the hydrants are not able to give us the water required, that is why we requested a water carrier."
He said parts of the building had already collapsed within a short time of the blaze starting and the cause of the fire was unknown.
Inspector John McKay, of West Mercia Police, said: "We are keeping an open mind as to how the fire started.
"An investigation is underway."
Do you have pictures or video of the blaze? Email them to wenedit@worcesternews.co.uk or text them to 80360, starting your message WN NEWS, then adding your name.
Update - view pictures of the fire in our gallery here.11:09pm Thursday 8th May 2008
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