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Page last updated at 07:31 GMT, Friday, 10 October 2008 08:31 UK
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Blaze damages bedding firm unit

Harlow fire. Pic: Essex Fire Service
Firefighters fight the blaze in the industrial unit (Pic: Essex Fire Service)

An arson investigation is under way after an Essex business was badly damaged by fire.

The blaze broke out in an industrial unit operated by a bedding manufacturer at Harlow Business Centre in the early hours of the morning.

Nine crews battled the fire and managed to prevent it from spreading to neighbouring units on the industrial estate in The Pinnacles.

Essex Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was being treated as suspicious.

A joint police and fire investigation will be carried out to establish how the fire started.

Gas engineers were called to the scene shortly after 0300 BST to deal with damage to a gas pipe in the building.

Mark Samuels, the officer in charge of the firefighting effort, said: "The initial action of crews on the scene, who located the fire quickly and gained access to the premises... gave us tremendous advantage in firefighting operations.

"The bedding manufacturer where the fire was centred was joined on both sides by units containing decorating materials such as paint and thinners stacked floor to ceiling.

"This cocktail of inflammables had the potential to cause rapid spread, but firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze.

"Although units on either side were affected by smoke, crews prevented major fire spread."

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