Fire tears through Melbourne factory stocked with wooden pallets

Firefighters have battled a fierce fire at a factory stocked with wooden pallets in  Melbourne’s north-east this morning.

When fire crews arrived at the factory on Mologa Road in Heidelberg West, the blaze was very established and the priority was to ensure it did not spread to neighbouring properties, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB) said.

Seven fire trucks and about 30 firefighters attended the incident.

“There was a fair fuel load and during the fire a gas cylinder exploded which put a fireball up into the air and gave the initial crews a bit of a shock.” MFB spokesman David Woods said.

Firefighters used breathing apparatus while fighting the blaze, and brought it under control within 45 minutes.

The factory is part of an old timber yard located next door to a taxidermy factory.