A FIRE at a skip hire firm in Chepstow was accidental, a fire service spokeswoman has confirmed.

At the height of the blaze on Thursday night more than 40 firefighters, from 11 stations across south Wales, were tackling the fire on Station Road..

The well established fire was based in an industrial building approximately 80 metres by 60 metres, containing 600 tonnes of general household and building waste.

Head of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Fire Control Jennie Griffiths tweeted on Saturday: “Fire investigation have attended the site and established an accidental cause for the fire.”

Station manager Adrian Moyce said that firefighters prevented the internal fire from spreading throughout the building where more than 600 tonnes of general household waste was contained.

"The firefighters’ actions ensured that only 100 tonnes of waste were involved in the fire,” he said.

"Once the fire was under control, machinery was used to bring the smouldering waste outside the building where it could be extinguished.

"At 11pm on Thursday this was stopped, due to poor light and two appliances remained overnight to ensure there was no further internal fire spread.”

A digger was used to remove the waste as fire investigators looked into the cause of the blaze.

On Friday two fire appliances and ten firefighters were on scene continuing to damp down any hotspots.

Crews from Chepstow, Caldicot, Aberbargoed, Maindee, Usk, Cwmbran, Barry, New Inn, Caerphilly, Malpas and Tonypandy had all tackled the blaze.