ARSON investigators yesterday began combing through the wreckage of an industrial yard after it was consumed by fire.

The blaze broke out in a garage workshop at Tyne Dock, South Shields, South Tyneside, at about 10.45pm on Monday. It took 20 firefighters three hours to bring the blaze under control.

The unit, situated at Evans Yard, in Commercial Road, contained highly explosive gas cylinders and fire crews enforced a 200m exclusion zone around the area.

The problem was made worse by poor water pressure, but the crews still managed to prevent the cylinders from detonating.

A spokeswoman for the Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Fire Brigade said: "Firefighting operations were hampered because there was poor water pressure in the area.

"A representative from Northumbrian Water did attend the scene, but the pressure could not be increased."

The blaze destroyed the single-storey workshop and badly damaged five minibuses and four cars parked in the yard.

Workers at a nearby unit raised the alarm after spotting smoke pouring out of the building.

Police officers and the dedicated arson task force launched an investigation yesterday. A police spokesman confirmed they were treating the blaze as suspicious.