Workers flee radiator plant blaze

Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles

A Tyneside radiator factory, employing 125 people, was evacuated after a fire broke out in a paint shop.

More than 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at Myson Radiators on Gateshead's Team Valley Trading Estate on Monday.

A police spokesman said there were no reported injuries, but the factory was evacuated as a precaution and will remain closed until Tuesday.

The fire was quickly extinguished, but firefighters also had to deal with a resulting chemical spillage.

Group manager Charlie Hall, of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The crews did an excellent job putting out the fire.

"It was particularly difficult to access the area where the fire was. The roof of the building has been partly damaged.

"We know that the fire started from an oven used to seal the coating on radiators."