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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Staples Corner fire: Firefighters tackle paint factory blaze | Staples Corner fire: Firefighters tackle paint factory blaze |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Almost 100 firefighters tackled a major blaze at a paint factory in north London. | Almost 100 firefighters tackled a major blaze at a paint factory in north London. |
| Eyewitnesses reported hearing explosions and fireballs "shooting into the air" from the factory in Waterloo Road, Staples Corner. | |
| London Fire Brigade said 15 fire engines were sent to the scene, near the North Circular Road. | |
| It said workers safely left the factory before crews arrived and the cause of the fire was being investigated. | It said workers safely left the factory before crews arrived and the cause of the fire was being investigated. |
| Achal Dhillon, of Hendon, less than half a mile from the scene, said the fire was burning "quite violently". | |
| The 33-year-old described seeing fireballs being shot up to 100 metres into the air from the burning building. | |
| He said: "Then we saw a lot of flames suddenly rise up by themselves. | |
| "Then just this huge mountain of fire, almost pyramid shaped and spiralling as it was shooting fireballs into the air." | |
| Mr Dhillon said there was a "huge trail of thick black smoke" and he was "amazed" at how quickly the fire service responded. | |
| 'Worked tirelessly' | |
| Fire crews were called at 21:20 GMT on January 8 and the blaze was under control by 00:22. | Fire crews were called at 21:20 GMT on January 8 and the blaze was under control by 00:22. |
| Smoke and flames could be seen for miles around and people were urged to avoid the area and those living nearby to keep doors and windows shut. | Smoke and flames could be seen for miles around and people were urged to avoid the area and those living nearby to keep doors and windows shut. |
| The fire service said its control room had taken 99 emergency calls about the blaze. | |
| The brigade said: "Firefighters worked tirelessly to stop the fire spreading. They will be at the scene throughout the night damping down pockets of fire." | The brigade said: "Firefighters worked tirelessly to stop the fire spreading. They will be at the scene throughout the night damping down pockets of fire." |