ALMOST 100 firefighters battled a huge blaze which cast smoke across a large area.
Crews from across West Yorkshire fought the fire at the former Monoplast plastic factory on Badger Lane in Hipperholme yesterday .
Two separate piles of plastic were ablaze at different parts of the site.
Fire brigade Area Manager Brian Robson, who was in command at the scene, praised firefighters from Brighouse and Halifax, who were first to arrive.
He said: “They were confronted by a fire in the open at the back, but contained it before it spread to the buildings. They saved the day for the company.”
Brighouse firefighters received the call at 10.45am and were on the scene within minutes, but had to immediately summon back-up.
“It was a difficult situation given the weather and the isolation of the site,’’ said Area Manager Robson.
Crews pumped water half a mile along Badger Lane.
At the height of the blaze there were 19 engines from 13 stations – including Huddersfield, Dewsbury and Elland – at the scene.
Brighouse Watch Manager Mick Holbrook was one of the first on the scene. He said: “There was a large pile of plastic on fire in the yard.
“We managed to protect the buildings and remove liquid petroleum gas cylinders safely, but we didn’t have enough water to extinguish the flames.
“Environmentally it was a bad incident, but thankfully there was no risk to life.”
The Brighouse firefighters were relieved at 3.15pm after more than four hours.
Huddersfield Crew Manager Bryan Rowley arrived at the scene around 11.30am.
Crews were continuing to damp down the flames at 4pm yesterday.
West Yorkshire Fire Service spokesman Stephen Hardy said an investigation into the cause of the blaze was beginning today.
