Over 100 firefighters battle glass factory blaze
The fire broke out at 12am this morning (October 7) at the Towngate Link industrial estate on Cross Green Way.
The blaze started in a manufacturing plant owned by Allied Glass Containers, who make bottles for Scotch whisky brand The Famous Grouse, it is understood.
Twitter user @stucker73 recorded the dramatic video of flames rising from the roof of the factory, as thick plumes of smoke filled the air.
Four aerial platforms and more than 20 fire engines from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue attended the scene. Seven fire engines remained at the site at 10am on Friday morning.
Well developed fire
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue area manager Chris Kirby said that fire crews arrived at the scene to find a very well developed fire in a very large building.
“Through the night we have been tackling this blaze with about 20 fire engines and four dedicated aerial appliances,” he said.
“We surrounded the building overnight and made sure [the fire] didn’t spread to any adjacent buildings in the local area.”
Kirby praised the quick actions of the crews in stopping the fire in its tracks.
‘Pockets of fire’
“There will be lots of damping down to do and we will have fire crews during the day making sure all remaining pockets of fire have been fully extinguished.
“Our fire investigation officers will the come in and do a thorough investigation to understand how the fire started.”
Allied Glass Containers declined to comment on the fire.
The conflagration is one of a series of fires to have plagued food and drink manufacturers over the past year.
A tea drier fire was attended by fire crews from Lincolnshire fire and rescue last month, while seven crews battled a blaze at a former Mondelēz factory in August.
