AN industrial fire in Bromborough that led to the evacuation of homes and businesses in the area has been extinguished.

Dock Road South had been closed both ways due to a fire involving a gas cylinder at commercial premises on Thermal Road.

The fire has since been extinguished after being contained to a “substantially built” warehouse.

A Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said firefighters were working to cool down the acetylene cylinder – which is used in welding operations.

One nearby resident told the Globe the whole estate has been cordoned off by police and firefighters.

He said: "If you come up from Port Sunlight up New Chester Road it is completely blocked off - Port Causeway is blocked off by police tape and it's blocked off near the Village Hotel.

"The whole estate seems to be blocked off.

"They seem to have evacuated Cereal Partners as all of their workers are outside.

"The police helicopter is up and keeping an eye on things.

"But we can't see anything - we couldn't see the flames because we couldn't get near."

The cordon has since been reduced to just the vicinity of the site.

Firefighters were called to the site just after 9.30am after reports that the cylinder had caught fire.

A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the area has been evacuated.

Three fire appliances from Birkenhead, Bromborough and Wallasey community fire stations were called out and firefighters are expected to be there for the next few hours.

The fire service's district manager for Wirral, Paul Murphy, said: "The fire has been extinguished and we are now in the phase of cooling the cylinder.

"Residents in the vicinity of Thermal Road have been visited. As a precautionary measure they have been advised to stay indoors and to lock their windows and doors."