Factory fire worker praised

A have-a-go-hero who took on a major fire at a north Shropshire industrial estate has been praised by firefighters and by managers at his firm.

The member of staff at Kingpin Tyres spotted the fire at the premises on Wem Industrial Estate at 4am yesterday.

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The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, called the fire brigade and tackled the blaze himself with a hose from the factory.

Plumes of smoke were sent billowing into the skies above Wem yesterday after the 100-tonne mound of rubber went up in flames. Firefighters took almost 11 hours to extinguish the blaze.

Crew manager Phil Smith, of Wem fire station, today applauded the man's actions. He said the fire took hold within minutes and blackened tree branches 20ft high.

"He was on duty at night and he spotted the fire at 4.04am and called us. When we arrived minutes later it was ablaze, it spread that quick," said Mr Smith.

"He had a hose reel from the building outside when we got there and he was doing what he could. I applaud him for it, he did as much as he could do with the equipment he had."

Kingpin factory manager Mark Cartwright said the man would be commended.

"The fire did not affect production whatsoever, and it is now completely out," he said. "We have already told the guy who raised the alarm what a good job he did.

"I'd hate to guess what could have happened. The guy called the fire brigade, which he should have done, and he did get the fire hose out himself. Obviously we'd thank the fire service."

Station manager Shaun Baker said officers had not established a cause for the fire and would not investigate further.