AROUND 40 firefighters fought a blaze which threatened to sweep through a glass factory.

The fire, started by a short circuit in an electrical compressor, spread to two offices at Pilkington's Middlesbrough warehouse, filling the remainder of the building with smoke.

The fire was tackled inside the building by ten firefighters wearing breathing apparatus.

Fire crews were at the scene for three hours, until nearly 1am this morning. They had to use heavy cutting gear to break into the burning building on North Ormesby Road.

Cleveland Fire Brigade watch manager Alan Peirson said: "The fire itself was not very big, but there was a lot of sorting out, a lot of glass.

"The fire was under control fairly quickly.''