A TANKER and a building containing 25,000 litres of vegetable oil were damaged in a huge blaze.

Around 70 firefighters tackled the fire, which broke out around 3am at the oil refinery, in Simister Lane, Simister.

The tanker set on fire first before spreading to an adjacent building.

Fire crews managed to stop the fire before it spread further to another building and silos containing 90,000 litres of vegetable oil.

At 6.30am most of the fire crews left the scene, leaving two engines, which are expected to remain in attendance for the day.

Fire investigation are now trying to establish the cause of the fire.

Tony Wellock, watch manager at Whitefield Community Fire Station said: "We got the call originally at 3am and we just took three pumps at first.

"We were met by a truck driver who guided us in and told us his truck was on fire.

"There were two buildings. The building which set on fire had 25,000 litres of vegetable oil in it.

"We stopped the building getting to the second building which also had silos to the back with 90,000 litres of vegetable oil.

"Fire investigation is being carried out.

"It was all hands to the pump. It was touch and go but we managed to put a good stop in."