LAWRENCE Recycling’s managing director says he is “devastated” after a second fire ripped through the Kidderminster site in seven months.

The fire broke out at bay three at the Stourport Road factory at about 5.30pm yesterday. The cause of the fire is currently unknown and an investigation has been launched.

David Lawrence said: “It is devastating and it is sad news.

“At the moment we do not know the cause of the fire. I got a call at 5.25pm last night from our security company to say the fire brigade were in attendance and there was smoke coming from the building.

“I got down here at 6.15pm and the fire brigade had cordoned off the site so we could not get in.”

West Mercia Police spt Kevin Purcell said people were advised not to stand close to the site and to keep windows and doors shut.

“It was appropriate to close the roads last night and to create a cordon because of a large number of people there watching to see the fire,” he added. “Numerous meetings have been taken place overnight.

“We felt we could re-open the road this morning in order to keep Kidderminster moving and to balance the risk to members of the public.

“We believe the site was unoccupied at the time. There is CCTV available to review which they cannot do because power is not on at the moment.

“Police and fire service are working together to establish the cause of the fire, however, at this time it is being considered as unexplained rather than suspicious.”

To follow The Shuttle's live blog of the fire as it develops click here.