Four firefighters feared dead in suspicious warehouse blaze

Police have said that they are treating the inferno, which gutted the building, as suspicious.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has paid tribute to the firefighters, saying he was "shocked and saddened" by what had happened.

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Emergency services have been scouring the fire-ravaged warehouse for the missing three firefighters - but the building is not safe for them to enter.

More than 80 firefighters batled the flames on an industrial estate in Atherstone On Stour, Warwickshire.

Gordon Brown said: "My thoughts are with the families of those killed, missing and injured.

"I pay tribute to the courage, dedication and service of the firefighters. "We stand ready to help in any way we can."

And Conservative leader David Cameron said: "This tragic incident is another reminder of the danger the emergency services put themselves in day in day out to ensure the safety of the public.

"Our thoughts are with the families, friends and colleagues at this time."

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The firefighter who died was taken to Warwick Hospital with critical injuries, but despite repeated attempts to resuscitate him he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The search for three other firefighters who remain missing in the building, a vegetable packing warehouse, resumed after daylight this morning.

But search teams are unable to get into the warehouse to look for the three missing firefighters because the building is still not safe to enter.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said it could be the "worst, worst night for the fire service in decades".

Warwickshire Police said the cause of the blaze, which is believed to have started just after 6pm yesterday, was being treated as suspicious.

Fire investigation officers and police are examining the scene for clues to how it started.

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A spokesman for the fire brigade said: "The building remains unsafe to enter, which is hampering investigations and our critical searches until experts can gain access to the site.

"Concerns are heightened hour by hour for the three fire fighters who are still missing.

"Our worst fears may be realised but we will not give up our continued search for our missing colleagues."

William Brown, Warwickshire County Council's Chief Fire Officer, said: "We are deeply shocked by last night's tragedy. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends of our firefighters.

"The fire service has a strong family tradition - it is a close bond which allows us to do our work, often in difficult and sometimes in dangerous circumstances.

"The firefighters were heroically doing their job."

Fire crews from Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and the West Midlands were involved in tackling the blaze, which raged for more than five hours.

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Sources said there had been an explosion in the warehouse after the fire broke out.

West Midlands Ambulance Service chief executive Anthony Marsh said: "This has to be one of the darkest days in the history of emergency services in Warwickshire.

"Our crews work on an almost daily basis with firefighters and many will probably have known the staff involved.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of these men at this difficult time; our thoughts and prayers are with them."

Chief Superintendent Mak Chishty, of Warwickshire Police said: "A full investigation into the cause of this fire has already begun and a full examination of the scene by fire investigation officers and police officers will take place later today.

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"All fires are treated as suspicious until their cause has been identified.

"Our thoughts are with our colleagues in the fire service today and with the family and friends of the firefighter who has died and those who are missing."