Large blaze breaks out at recycling plant

The fire at the recycling plant was reported at 07:15 BST

A fire has broken out in a storage container at a recycling plant.

The blaze, at the Veolia waste depot on Monument Way in Washington, near Sunderland, started at about 07:15 BST on Thursday.

Group manager Dale Howey from Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service said a "bund" at the site caught fire and set light to general waste and cardboard.

Staff evacuated the area while 32 firefighters tackled the blaze. No injuries have been reported and investigators have been called in to determine the cause.

Firefighters said the materials burned in the blaze were general waste and cardboard

Mr Howey said crews were damping down and working to remove waste from the area.

"This is a waste distribution site, which is split up into several bunds. Unfortunately one of the bunds caught fire," he said.

"Thankfully there were no injuries. The site was able to apply safety measures and remove everybody from the site."

Asked which materials had been affected by the fire, Mr Howey said: "At this time, it is just cardboards and general waste."