FIREFIGHTERS prevented a potentially serious incident last night after tackling a blaze which threatened to consume a warehouse.After overseeing the effort to put out the flames, a leading firefighter spoke of his relief at controlling the blaze – and hit out at those who deliberately start fires.

FIREFIGHTERS prevented a potentially serious incident last night after tackling a blaze which threatened to consume a warehouse.

After overseeing the effort to put out the flames, a leading firefighter spoke of his relief at controlling the blaze - and hit out at those who deliberately start fires.

Crews were initially called to the fire, which is thought to be arson, at 5.04pm yesterday.

More than 25 firefighters attended the scene of the blaze, which started in a demountable building at the King Avon warehouse, in Duke Street, Ipswich, near the docks.

Assistant Divisional Officer Paul Seager, who was in charge of the firefighting effort, said crews were initially confronted by a serious blaze, which was billowing thick smoke across the docks.

"We committed two people with breathing apparatus and a jet of water," he said. They found the fire wasn't actually in the warehouse, but in the demountable building - which was just a foot away.

"It could easily have spread and then it would have been very serious. Had the fire got into the main building we would have had a very difficult job, which would have involved having to send people in or stand back and watch thousands of pounds of stock burn.

"It could have been a lot worse if it wasn't for the prompt calls from members of the public and the prompt actions of the firefighters."

ADO Seager added that the fire service had been faced with a number of "nuisance fires" in the same area in recent months - and warned of the potential for disaster.

"This was a potentially very serious fire with a risk to life and limb for firefighters and anyone else in the area," he said.

"There's also an economic loss - if we lost a warehouse like this then we would be talking millions of pounds.

"Anyone who starts a fire deliberately, for no good reason, has something wrong with them."

The fire was out by 5.41pm. Anyone who was in the area at the time of the blaze and saw anything suspicious should call PC Tom Farrell, of Suffolk Police, on 01473 613500.