A HUGE cloud of black smoke covered Blackburn town centre after a blaze at a breaker's yard.

The fire, at the Baron's Yard site off Darwen Street, destroyed more than 50 cars after starting just after 1.30pm.

Workers at the business were forced to flee the blaze, which they said started accidentally.

No one was injured in the incident.

Watch manager Steve Johnson praised his fire crews for restricting the blaze and stopping it spreading to nearby businesses.

He said: "The first pump that arrived at the scene worked very hard and it is to their credit that the fire didn't cause any more damage."

The first crews were joined by firefighters from Blackburn, Darwen and Accrington.

He said that the blaze was started by a spark from a workman and is not being treated as suspicious.

At the height of the fire police, including mounted officers, closed nearby roads, including Weir Street and Canterbury Street, because of fears that any fuel at the yard could explode.

Businesses on Darwen Street were warned that they could be forced to evacuate.

Fortunately four fire crews were able to bring the blaze under quick control and it was put out within an hour.

A spokesman for the breaker's yard said that they did not want to comment on the cause of the blaze.