Lenton factory fire ‘looked like mini explosion’

Photo courtesy of Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue

A fire that destroyed a factory in Lenton has been likened to a ‘mini explosion’ by people who witnessed the blaze.

Student Ben Carr, who lives on nearby Elmsthorpe Avenue saw the moment smoke came pouring out of the factory on Faraday Road on Thursday.

He said: “I came out the house and I saw these big plumes of black smoke coming over from the other side of the field – there were large crackles that sounded like mini explosions.

“All the neighbours had come out, we could hear the sirens and we realised there was something quite big happening over there.”

Video: Eyewitness Ben Carr

More than 30 firefighters attended the blaze at 12.13pm and the fire was out by 1pm.

Two people, believed to be juveniles, have been held by police on suspicion of arson.

Martin Molloy, Notts Fire Station Manager said: “This was a significant fire that could have reached temperatures of between 600 and 1000 degrees.

“The fire itself was in a contained space in what was an unsafe building so we tackled in from the outside as we were unable to get inside.

“It has left the building in an almost demolished state although what is left will have to be taken down for safety reasons.”

No-one was hurt in the incident.