Residents had to leave their homes when a Bradford factory went up in flames last night.

The occupants of about dozen houses in Victoria Road, Eccleshill, were evacuated shortly after 6pm as more than 70 firefighters tackled the blaze at a powder coating company.

Firefighters succeeded in preventing the fire spreading to other businesses in the industrial complex.

Police diverted traffic on Norman Lane and Harrogate Road while the blaze was being fought.

Bradford fire station incident commander Craig McIntosh said residents had been evacuated because of the large amount of smoke caused by the fire.

He said the chemicals in the building were unlikely to be a continuing risk because they would have been destroyed in the initial fire.

Mr McIntosh said he was pleased with the way firefighters had controlled the flames and stopped it spreading.

"We have actually had a successful operation. We have managed to contain the fire and stopped any spread," he said.

Mr McIntosh said the roof and contents of the business had been destroyed in the flames.

No-one was hurt during the incident and the cause was being investigated today.

Yvonne and Chris Godaire, who live in Victoria Road, were among those who were allowed to return to their homes at 9.30pm with instructions to keep all windows and doors closed.

Mr and Mrs Godaire

had been evacuated with their daughters, aged 18

and 11, son, 16, and the family dog.

Mrs Godaire said she did not notice the flames until traffic started slowing down outside the house.

"We have lived here for 18 years and there has always been one thing or another with that building. I don't know if they will be able to recover from this one though," she said.

Rush hour traffic was also disrupted when firefighters were called to a fire in a derelict mill building in Rouse Fold, off Wakefield Road, East Bowling, at 5.30pm yesterday.

Bradford and Fairweather Green Fire Stations used an aerial lift to tackle the blaze which was put out in an hour. The roof of the disused mill was destroyed.

"We don't know how it started, but the building was consumed by fire," said firefighter Mark Shutt.