UPDATE: Investigation begins into cause of Wakefield fire

Fire investigators are working with other authorities to establish the cause of a fire at Rathbones on Stephenson Way.

Firefighters were called to an industrial unit yesterday at 4.15pm.

At it’s height, 15 pumps and two aerial appliances were in attendance at the incident along with support units.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Stations attending throughout the incident include: Rothwell, Wakefield, Hunslet, Garforth, Rawdon, Castleford, Bradford, Killingbeck, Moortown, Stanningley, Mirfield, Rawdon, Morley, Normanton, Leeds, Ossett, Dewsbury and Fairweather Green.

Three pumps from Normanton, Wakefield, Dewsbury plus one aerial appliance from Leeds are still at the scene damping down.

Plumes of thick black smoke were visible across the city as fire crews from across West Yorkshire fought the blaze, at a single storey building on the Junction 41 industrial estate, just off the M1.

Some members of staff at the depot were treated for smoke inhalation but no one was seriously injured, and West Yorkshire Police said they do not believe that the fire was caused deliberately.

Readers have sent in these videos and pictures showing the blaze from across the district.

*Video by Nathan Greenwood.