Company back in business after fire

Sixty firefighters fought the blaze at the AGS factory

A Devon double glazing firm has returned to work, less than 24 hours after a serious fire.

Staff were back at AGS Home Improvements on the Brunel Industrial Estate in Newton Abbot.

Sixty retained firefighters tackled the blaze in a third floor storage area.

But it happened in part of the factory no longer used for production, so business has been largely unaffected.

AGS managing director Trevor Coles back at work

AGS managing director Trevor Coles said: "We were quite lucky. The fire was confined to a storage area on the third floor and most of our production is done on the first floor.

"We went in after the fire had been put out and tested machinery and everything was fine.

"We will be going back into production straight away, and will have full production again within 48 hours."

Mr Coles said the damage caused by the fire would not mean a hold-up in serving customers.

Evacuated premises

"We stockpile for future orders, so in terms of fitted contracts over the next few weeks there will be no delays at all," he said.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but the police say there are no suspicious circumstances.

A factory worker discovered the fire on Wednesday morning and 100 staff left the premises.

Nearby residents were advised to keep their windows and doors shut because of fears of poisonous fumes from plastics in the factory.