A MASS evacuation was ordered and emergency services scrambled following fears a gas cylinder would explode at a factory on Wrexham Industrial Estate.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service deployed two crews from Wrexham to the incident on Oak Road just before 11am yesterday morning.

According to the fire service, the teams were called to a building fire which led to the building being evacuated at about 11.30am while firefighters secured the area.

It is not clear how many staff were affected.

Crews then spent more than four-and-a-half hours working to stabilise the oxy-acetylene cylinder, based in the main factory unit, which had reached a dangerous temperature.

Police officers cordoned off the area.

Firefighters remained at the scene till about 4.30pm to ensure the building was safe and the cylinder was at no further risk of exploding.

A spokesman for the fire service added: “Crews maintained a safe working area and there were no injuries.The company liaised with our crews, the procedures worked well and we have been co-operating with the Health and Safety Executive.

“As this was an incident involving gas the squad had to make sure everything was safe and secure and that the cylinder was cooling down. Firefighters left the scene at 4.30pm.”