TEN employees were evacuated when a blaze broke out at a Westbury grinding mill.

Fire broke out in a hopper and grain grinder at Faccenda on the West Wiltshire Trading Estate, at 10.30am Tuesday, July 23.

Fire crews were alerted when employees noticed smoke pouring out of a grinder used to crush peas and oil seed rape.

Bosses at the company, which produces bulk animal feed, were forced to shut down one of the firm's two plants to contain the blaze. The second plant was unaffected.

Firefighters equipped with thermal imaging cameras and hose reels fought for three hours to extinguish the flames with three crews from Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster called in.

A water carrier from Devizes assisted with the operation.

The blaze was extinguished by 1.30pm but firefighters stayed on site to deal with any minor flare-ups.

Mill manager, Gareth Edwards, said something must have malfunctioned in the grinder as half a ton of crushed rape seed and peas became lodged in the machine. Emergency warning lights installed to alert staff to blockages failed to come on. Mr Edwards said the plant would be out of action for at least a week, disrupting the company's production deadlines.

He said: "About five people noticed the smoke pouring out of the machine and we raised the alarm.

"The strange thing was we could see lots of smoke but very few flames as they were contained in the machine itself.

"It is a very enclosed building so it clearly caused a lot of smoke. The evacuation procedures worked very well and everyone escaped the building in plenty of time.

"I can't say how much damage was caused, it is too early to tell. The machine will need replacing and we have to do a full examination of damage caused to wiring and electrical circuits.

"There were safety devices on the machine that should have alerted operators to the fire sooner.

"A contingency plan is being drawn up to help us cope with meeting orders and getting the materials we need for our products."

Fire investigation crews will draw up a report into the incident.

Faccenda will carry out its own, separate investigation.