Forklift truck blaze causes so much smoke that Wigan warehouse could be off-limits for a day

The vehicle caught fire shortly after 7pm on Tuesday October 31 at Pallet-Track Northern Hub on Lockett Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, and employees were quickly evacuated.

Three pumps from Wigan and Hindley fire stations attended the scene and four crew members in breathing gear put out the flames.

The cause was put down to the failure of a liquid petroleum gas cylinder on the forklift which was written off by the fire.

Large quanties of smoke were generated by the blaze and Hindley watch manager Luke McDiarmid said that the company was advised not to let staff back into the 500m by 300m pallet-filled warehouse until natural ventilation had made it safe – which fire officers estimated could take around 24 hours.

Crews were at the scene for about two hours.