INVESTIGATIONS are due to start today into the chemical blaze that forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents on Friday.

The Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive will begin trying to find out what caused the fire at the Distillex solvent recycling plant in East Percy, North Shields, North Tyneside.

More than 100 firefighters tackled the blaze, which spread to a neighbouring timber yard and bus depot.

There were no serious casualties although some of the Tyne and Wear Fire Brigade firefighters suffered minor injuries.

There was a chemical leak at the plant, caused by a fire, in January and an Environment Agency report into that incident is still awaited.

Experts will be trying to find out which chemicals were involved in Friday's blaze.

Company managing director Adrian Jones said the blaze may have been caused by a "metal to metal contact'' that created a spark, starting a fire in a skip.

Mr Jones, whose company says on its website that its "commitment to safety and understanding of environmental issues has made us leaders in the field'', apologised for the incident.

The blaze is likely to lead to calls for the plant to be closed down and questions about the monitoring of its operations.

North Tyneside Borough Council member for Tynemouth, Councillor Linda Arkley, said: "This is not the right place for a factory and we need it closed as soon as possible.''

Tyne and Wear's Chief Fire Officer Richard Bull praised the efforts of his crews.

He said the brigade had been "stretched to its extreme limits''.

In recent years the brigade has argued with the Government that its funding allows it only to provide the minimum fire cover.

Mr Bull said ministers had to recognise that the brigade needed an "appropriate level'' of funding to deal with such large incidents.