Staff were evacuated when intense heat and smoke took hold at a Stansted Airport building.
Firefighters from across the county fought the blaze for three hours at Alpha Flight Services in Long Border Road yesterday while facing the risk of the building collapsing and danger from back draughts.
Fire Service station officer Gary Fleming said 14 crews were needed because there was little ventilation to clear the smoke.
"There were a couple of doors and windows that we could open but it was heavily smoke-logged and there was the possibility of back draughts.
"It was a dangerous situation and a massive risk for the crews," he said.
The building has two layers of steel with polystyrene between and Mr Fleming said when the middle layer catches fire, the steel buckles and collapses. "The fire took longer to put out but it meant we didn't risk the crews' lives," said Mr Fleming.
Published Monday August 30, 2004
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