Cause of Eaglescliffe fire 'a complete mystery' to boss of Melbray Chemicals Ltd

The owner of Melbray Chemicals said the cause of the massive blaze “was a complete mystery” to all the staff at the Eaglescliffe firm.

When the fire broke out just after 1pm, eight members of staff were immediately evacuated from the company, which supplies chemicals worldwide to the oil industry.

Owner Brian Hannon told The Gazette that he and another member of staff had just inspected plastic storage containers in the yard “five minutes before” the fire was discovered.

“There was no evidence of any fire,” he said. “It just appeared by magic.”

Mr Hannon, who lives near Stokesley with his wife Christine, said “everybody was OK” who works at the firm on Wass Way on Durham Lane Industrial Park.

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“The procedures were followed when the fire was noticed, the alarm sounded, roll calls made and people evacuated,” he said.

“We’re not sure how it started, but it was outside the building in the yard. The yard is where we keep a lot of chemicals in these plastic drums.

“They are stacked up as per health and safety. Somehow this fire started there, but it’s a complete mystery to us because two of us were in the yard five minutes before and there was no evidence of any fire.

“We don’t have that much flammable material on site, but there’s fatty acid material like cooking oil which would fuel a fire once it was going.”

Melbray Chemicals was set up in 1988 and is involved in “oilfield, chemical, additives and technology”.

Mr Hannon said most of the chemicals are exported internationally to oil fields around the world.

“It’s not an easy time at the moment for the oil industry,” he said.

“We’re not sure at this moment how this fire will effect us. But the building is completely untouched, it was just in the yard.

“We are waiting for them to advise us, they need to make sure its all safe before we can go back.”

A spokesman for Cleveland Fire Brigade confirmed the incident “was a fire involving plastic storage containers containing small quantities of chemicals”.

The Health and Safety Executive’s hazardous installation division has been informed of the fire, as is procedure.

An HSE spokesperson said: “HSE is aware and liaising with the emergency services.”