Crews deal with 'explosion' blaze

No-one was injured during the fire at the industrial estate

A fire started at an industrial estate after what fire chiefs called a "small explosion" in a hydraulic shredder.

The fire service said it was called at 1425 GMT to Charleston industrial estate in Hardley, Hythe, Hampshire.

About 30 firefighters used foam to extinguish the burning hydraulic oil. A specialist vehicle was used to detect harmful chemicals in the air.

A spokesman for the fire service said there were no injuries. The cause of the blaze is not yet known.

Watch manager Chas McGill said: "We believe there was small explosion and this resulted in a flashback which set fire to some hydraulic hoses and oil which was on fire.

"We basically applied a small quantity of foam to extinguish a small quantity of oil on fire.

"There was only about five to 10 litres of oil involved.

"My concerns were for the safety of persons on site but everyone was accounted for under the site's evacuation procedure."