Three people have been treated by ER24 Newcastle for smoke inhalation after a blaze broke out at a textile factory in the industrial area shortly after midday today.
It is believed the fire was caused by a short circuit within the machinery used to cut fabric at the factory.
Firefighters acted quickly and managed to contain the flames to the interior of the building, where a large part of the fire has been doused so far.
Due to the flammable nature of the materials inside the factory, mostly plastic and fabric, the flames spread quickly.
When firefighters extinguished the burning material, it would reignite within minutes, due to the smoldering materials at the bottom of the bale, creating a challenging situation for even the experienced firefighters.
Parts of the roof collapsed, and the onset of a strong wind fed the flames. However, firefighters on scene were confident the fire would not become bigger or spread further.
“It is better now that their is more wind inside the building, because the smoke has a chance of being released, and most of the materials inside have burnt out,” explained the firefighter.
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