AN investigation is continuing into the blaze at a building in Worcester on Wednesday night as evacuated families in the area were allowed home.

Residents were able to move back into their houses late on Wednesday night after fire crews attended the scene at the Midland Power Machinery Distribution Factory in Orchard Street, off Bath Road.

We reported in your Worcester News yesterday that neighbours fled the inferno as the building’s asbestos roof began to explode at about 7.10pm.

The temporary rest centre set up at Cherry Orchard Primary School in Timberdine Avenue was open until 11pm, when about 20 residents who had been at the centre made their way home.

People had also stayed in the Berwick Arms on Bath Road before being allowed home.

Catherine Bosworth, whose family was evacuated, made it home yesterday morning after going to stay with her sister-in-law in Lowesmoor, Worcester.

She said: “I got a phone call in the morning from my daughter, who was staying with her fiancé, saying it was OK to go home. It was a relief but it’s such a mess. There is a lot of debris in the garden and on the cars, everywhere is just covered in stuff.”

Yesterday, the area was still cordoned off by Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service while they drained the area and cleared up.

They said the building had extensive damage and the roof had almost completely collapsed.

Firefighters had recovered propane gas cylinders from the building, which also contained a large quantity of engine oil.

A crew from Bromsgrove was on standby at the scene to make sure the premises were safe and all fire “hot spots” had been extinguished.

Worcester City Council, Severn Trent Water and the Environment Agency all visited the site yesterday morning to make routine checks.

It has been revealed that 31 calls were made by worried residents on Wednesday night.

The Rev Duncan Ballard, from St Mark’s Church, was attending a Christmas meal at the church hall when the blaze started.

Mr Ballard said that, at about 8pm, the group heard that people had been evacuated from their homes to the school. Several members of the group went to the school to offer cups of tea for families and residents.

He said: “Everyone there was sharing fish and chips and there was just a great community feeling.

“No one was particularly concerned. There were several children who were all pleased at being able to stay up late and a few older people were worried that the electricity would have gone off.

“But the police were there all night reassuring everyone and the fire services kept everyone updated.

“It was all very British – everyone just sat there and got on with it.”

Police and the fire service, who are keeping an open mind about the cause of the blaze, are set to be back at the scene today.

Mark Lloyd-Wilson, a partner in Midland Power Machinery Distribution, was unavailable for comment.