A fire which destroyed a warehouse containing wool bales is being treated as arson.

Firefighters spent four hours putting out the blaze at the single-storey building in Crag Road, Shipley, on Satur-day night.

Crews from Shipley, Idle and Bradford managed to stop it spreading to a neighbouring storage unit.

Nick Padwick, watch manager at Shipley fire station, said no workers had been in the warehouse when the fire broke out at about 8pm.

It is thought the blaze was started after the building was broken into.

Mr Padwick said: "The building wasn't in tact in places, it would have been easy for someone to get in and start a fire."

A mechanic at Shipley MoT and Repair Centre, which is near the scene of the blaze, yesterday said it was the second or third time the building had been on fire in the past year.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman confirmed that the cause of the blaze was being treated as suspicious.

A meeting between police and fire investigators about its cause was due to take place later today.

He said: "It's a fire that cannot be explained by the fire service."

Meanwhile, West Yorkshire Fire Service's chemical safety specialists had to deal with barrels of paint thinners which were found dumped on a verge in Furness Road, Oakenshaw, Bradford, on Saturday.

About 15 barrels of the flammable liquid had to be made safe by members of the fire service's hazardous-materials unit before they were removed by environmental specialists.

  • Firefighters will be trained to tackle hazardous materials in a major exercise taking part in Bradford on Wednesday.

More than 15 fire appliances will take part in the drill, which will be staged at George Barker Ltd's premises in Idle Croft Road, Idle.

Ian Hales, crew manager at Idle fire station, said: "People need not be alarmed as it is just a drill and no emergencies are being dealt with."

e-mail: rebecca.wright@bradford.newsquest.co.uk