But while staff at Brosch Direct escaped largely unscathed yesterday, with two requiring only treatment at the scene for smoke inhalation, the outcome four years ago when Anvil Alloys Internatonal was engulfed by fire was tragedy for two Peterborough families.

Chris Mead (37), of Candidus Court, and Martin Butler (29), of Home Pasture, died after they became trapped in the factory on February 12, 2004.

The two Werrington men succumbed to the smoke, prevented from escaping from the Benwick Road foundry by a faulty door handle.

An inquest into the men's deaths in 2006 returned an open verdict after hearing fire safety precautions were lax, with just basic outlines of emergency actions displayed on staff notice boards.

The lack of preparations cost Mr Mead and Mr Butler their lives after flames took hold, possibly after a spark from a grinding machine ignited debris.

The inquest jury found that the burning rubbish then set foam-covered walls on fire and led to flames sweeping through the building.

Trapped in the press room by the faulty door, the victims were overcome by fumes. The jury described Anvil Alloys as "negligent" for its sloppy fire precautions.

Special Report: Whittlesey factory fire, February 2008