Fire crews from across West Yorkshire were called out to tackle a major blaze at a factory in East Bowling, Bradford, on Wednesday evening.

Emergency services received reports of flames breaking through the roof of a building on Bowling Park Close shortly before 8pm, with the fire quickly spreading throughout the entire structure.

The factory involved in the incident was identified as Bradford Rubber Services.

Fifteen crews from the West Yorkshire fire service arrived at the scene at approximately 7.45pm.

Local residents were advised to steer clear of the area and keep their windows and doors shut as smoke filled the air.

By Thursday, much of the factory’s roof had fallen in, and firefighters focused their efforts on stopping the blaze from reaching nearby structures on the industrial site.

Investigators have been unable to determine what started the fire, as they are waiting for a structural engineer to assess whether the building is safe enough to enter.

Roads in the vicinity remained closed on Thursday while crews continued their work, with police officers maintaining safety cordons around the area.

Labour MP Imran Hussain for Bradford East expressed serious concern about the incident, stating his thoughts were with everyone affected, including local residents and workers at the site. He offered his thanks to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and all emergency services for their swift response and tireless efforts in bringing the situation under control. He called on residents to follow official guidance and stay away from the area while emergency services continued their work. He added that he would stay in close contact with emergency services and partner organisations and was ready to help those impacted by the incident.

Councillor Talat Sajawal, who represents the adjacent Little Horton area, reported significant smoke coverage across his ward during Wednesday evening. He noted the fire occurred in East Bowling, very close to his ward boundary. He had been in contact with the headteacher at Bowling Park Primary School regarding concerns about the incident, though all pupils attended school as normal on Thursday. He praised the emergency services for their excellent response and their work in keeping residents safe and containing the fire.

Local residents the Bairstows described thick smoke billowing from the area and said they visited the scene at around 8.15pm, finding the building structurally intact except for the rear roof. When they returned around 9.15pm to 9.30pm, walls were collapsing with loud bangs and popping sounds. They characterised the fire as an inferno and expressed sympathy for the factory workers who had lost their workplace.

Rashid Qayoom, who operates nearby business IQ Labels and Packaging, said the incident had forced him to close until Monday. He commended the fire brigade for their work in containing the blaze. He learned about the evacuation of Kemira Chemicals through a contact who works there and initially felt panicked but realised there was nothing to be done. He had informed his customers and expected to resume deliveries from Monday.

In a statement released at 5pm on Thursday, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service confirmed one crew, one aerial ladder appliance and one watch manager remained at the scene. The fire had been extinguished but firefighters were continuing to cool down the site. No cause had been established as they were still waiting for a structural engineer to check the building’s safety following the fire.