A BLAZE broke out in Trowbridge's old Bowyers site on Boxing Day, prompting a huge coordinated effort from firefighters.

At just before 8pm yesterday, firefighters from Westbury, Melksham, Devizes, Warminster and two crews from Trowbridge and Bath helped extinguish the fire at the Innox Riverside site.

Upon arrival they did not find anybody but they discovered a small fire on the ground floor of the 40x15m three-storey building, where someone had been living there.

The crews used eleven breathing apparatus, two hose reel jets, one covering jet and positive pressure ventilation and the fire was put out within 10 minutes.

Trowbridge Watch Manager Neil Hiscock said: "Someone was staying overnight in the back room of the ground floor and they must have lit a fire to keep warm, which then caught alight and spread - they definitely were not supposed to be there. 

"The building was completely smoke logged but the fire was quite small. We do not know who it was as there was nobody there.

"It is just another day for us. We respond 24/7. We did what we needed to do."

More to follow.