The company's pallets, which are kept for repair and recycling purposes about 50m from the main site, were extinguished by crews from Ossett, Wakefield and Dewsbury who attended the fire at 5.10am.

Bezier chief executive Mark Shaw said services had been unaffected by the fire: "It was all a rather low-key affair, but as we have 24-hour CCTV on the site, we should be able to determine exactly how it happened."

Four fire crews attended the scene on Flanshaw Way and an aerial platform was sent in from Leeds.

It is understood there was a highly explosive gas canister in the neighbouring premises, which firefighters had to attend to before giving the all-clear.

Steve Kain, watch manager at Wakefield Fire Station, said: "Damage to the building was only minor facial damage. The fire was concentrated to a pack of pallets outside the premises."

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.