A FACTORY has fixed a fault which caused a fire, causing over 30 homes to be evacuated.

Production at Wardle Storeys, Grove Mill, off Skipton Road, Earby, is up and running after a fire broke out in a machine making synthetic leather coatings for the car industry on Friday.

It spread to a flue containing oil products, causing a toxic, black smoke to come out of the chimney.

Residents were moved from homes in Shuttleworth Street and Waddington Street just after 6am when it was feared the chimney could overheat and collapse. They were allowed home just after 9am.

An investigation was launched in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive.

Managing director of Wardle Storeys, Alun Hall, said: "An assessment has been carried out with the relevant authorities and the root cause has been corrected.

"At this moment I would not want to say what that was."