A HUGE fire engulfed a wax recycling plant at Saxon Business Park in Stoke Prior, near Bromsgrove, last night (September 19).

The blaze, in Hanbury Road, was reported at 6.57pm, with 10 fire engines and nine other fire support vehicles being sent to the scene.

Some 15 fire engines and 65 firefighters attended the fire at its height, this included specialist foam, water, aerial, environmental and command units.

The firefighters contained the blaze within the 220-square-metre wax plant, with the business park reopening this morning (September 20).

A Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said acetylene and propane cylinders were removed from the building. 

David Ellins, who lives in Bromsgrove, said: “I was returning home on the M5 from Worcester and saw this great big ploom of smoke.

“Knowing a family member who works in the area, I took the road back that way.”

Mr Ellins arrived at the scene at around 7pm and joined a group of around 50 residents who were standing around 300 yards away from the fire.

A woman who owns a business on the park told Mr Ellins she thought it was a wax or flooring company that was alight.

“She was concerned as her business is within 30 metres of the fire. She said the flooring company had only just moved in,” he said.

Mr Ellins, who works in the motor trade, said people were not sure which businesses had been affected or how quickly the blaze would spread.

“Lots of residents were coming out, walking to see it. The police closed the entrance to the industrial estate,” he said.

“The atmosphere was quite tense. It was quite mesmerising to watch the black smoke bubble up and go up the top.“

There were have been no casualties, according to fire officials.

A spokesman for Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said: "In spite of difficult conditions and an extremely intense fire, crews worked hard and managed to contain the fire to the recycling plant and prevent significant damage to surrounding businesses."

Several workers from the surrounding buildings were evacuated by the firefighters.

Keith Chance, who was the incident commander, said: "Due to the swift and professional actions of fire crews, working in a very hazardous environment, we have been able to prevent the fire from destroying surrounding businesses and ensure nobody was hurt."

A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "Our Hazardous Area Response Team paramedics were on scene together with a paramedic area support officer and an emergency preparedness manager.

"There were no patients thankfully and we were stood down from the scene at 9.45pm."

The fire service have received a deluge of calls in relation to the blaze and are advising residents who live close to the fire to close their windows and doors.

Police are at the scene assisting traffic and have closed off the area.