MORE than 20 firefighters battled for two hours last night to contain a suspicious blaze at a warehouse containing polystyrene in Burnley.

The fire at the warehouse, owned by James Pollard and Sons, on industrial ground off Browhead Road, was so fierce that crews had to use hundreds of tons of water.

Station Officer Steve Cope, of Burnley, said: "Luckily it was near the canal so we put in leads from three fire engines."

These fed six water jets held by firefighters and the monitor jet positioned on the aerial ladder platform.

The fire destroyed the contents and nearly half of the roof but left the structure sound.

The cause is being investigated.

The single storey building measuring was being rented out and used for storage.

Fire crews from Burnley and Nelson were mobilised.

The alarm was raised by a passer-by who saw the fire from a distance while out walking.

Mr Cope said: "Even though the warehouse wasn't particularly full the fire was quite fierce.

"At first we thought there were cylinders and magnesium shavings that explode when exposed to water so we asked the police to contact the owner.

"Luckily they weren't any cylinders and the shavings were only plastic."