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Families had to flee homes as building blaze raged

Stewart WhittinghamNorth West
News imageBBC Black, orange and grey smoke rises in a huge plume from a large grey industrial building which sits behind a wooden fence at the end of a residential street. The houses are made of larger beige stone bricks and sit over two storeys. They are all of similar design like so many private housing estates. Lots of cars are parked in front of the houses. The cab of a fire engine is in the foreground. In front of it, a flat bed fire vehicle has a ladder mounted on it. It is extended towards the flames with, presumably, firefighters directing water towards the flames from the cherry picker basket at the end of the ladder. Two firefighters in hi-vis and helmets stand in the distance, backs to shot.BBC
Homes in two streets were evacuated as flames engulfed an industrial unit

Families had to be evacuated from their homes in two streets after a huge fire broke out at a neighbouring industrial building.

The blaze, which shot huge plumes of black and orange smoke into the sky, was spotted at just after 07:30 BST at a site off Wellington Road in Greenfield, near Oldham.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said 45 homes were evacuated in Wellington Road and Knoll Close, which backs on to the burning building.

Residents have now returned to their homes, with fire crews using gas detectors to ensure it was safe to do so, a spokesperson said.

News imageThick black smoke rises in the air from the large grey industrial unit. A fire engine is parked at the end of Knoll Close which is a residential street of two-storey, almost identical beige brick buildings. There are lots of parked cars and three firefighters in hi-vis orange jackets, yellow trousers and white helmets are walking around the engine. A fourth firefighter in black overalls stands behind the engine which has a large ladder on it.
The site backs on to houses on Knoll Close

More than 10 fire engines along with a number of aerial ladder units and specialist appliances from across Greater Manchester were sent to the scene of the blaze.

"Our crews remain at the scene, continuing their work alongside partners to make the site safe," the fire service added.

A cordon was put in place during the incident and nearby roads were shut while crews tackled the fire. People were asked to avoid the area.

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