AN engineering works has been destroyed in a massive blaze.

Thirty people were evacuated as 50 firefighters tackled the fire in Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, yesterday afternoon.

The road was partly closed after a gas cylinder, which threatened to explode, was found by firefighters at the factory.

The fire ripped through the top floor and roof of the three-storey building, which contains offices and a workshop for the family-run business of Lace Control Systems.

Fifteen workers at Lace were evacuated and another 15 employees were evacuated from two smaller businesses based in the building.

Firefighters told another 20 people to leave a business across the road after discovering the gas cylinder in the blazing building.

Diversions were put in place along a 200-metre stretch between Turton Street and Scowcroft Street. They were expected to be still in place this morning.

Lace Control Systems employee Andrew Turner, aged 37, who was working in the IT department on the top floor of the building, said: "I heard a couple of bangs, but I just thought they were coming from the workshop.

"Then I looked out of the window and saw the end office glowing yellow and orange. Then I saw the smoke and called 999.

"The fire was taking hold very quickly. We all had to crouch down and cover our faces as we evacuated the building so that we didn't breathe in the fumes."

All members of staff escaped unhurt.

Five fire engines and specialist aerial equipment were required to extinguish the blaze.

The building at the Turner Bridge site has been home to Lace Control Systems since the business began six years ago, but it was gutted in the blaze.

Firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to the two other businesses in the building.

Lace Control Systems makes security systems including automatic and manual traffic barriers, sliding gates, turnstiles and security cabins.

Finance director Richard Lace, aged 25, was in his ground floor office when he heard calls to evacuate the building.

He said: "It's going to be hard, but I am confident that we will be up and running again as soon as next week.

"We will have to find new premises, but we have all our computer files backed up and I'm hopeful that it won't affect us too badly. I'm just grateful no-one was hurt."

Fire service borough commander Vinny Simpson said: "The whole length of the building was on fire. The top floor and roof were consumed by flames from one end to the other.

"We don't know much about the cause at this early stage, but fire investigation officers are on scene and there will be a full investigation.

"I expect we will be dampening down the site for at least a couple of days."