A DEVASTATING fire on a Basildon industrial estate was caused by sparks flying from a 3.5m-tall stiletto shoe.

The blaze destroyed Fibresports’ factory, in Bowlers Croft, off Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, which makes fibreglass, polystyrene, clay and wooden models.

Steve Foster, 61, partner in charge of the firm, revealed the fire was started by static electricity sparks, caused by a polystyrene model of a giant stiletto heel being pulled from a fibreglass cast.

The huge heel was destined for a new West End production of cult film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

He said: “It was static electricity that caught on to some solvent.

“The fire spread so quickly that by the time one of our guys managed to pick up a fire extinguisher, it was too late to stop it.

“I would never have thought static electricity sparks could cause all this damage.

“You think you’ve thought of everything to try to prevent fires, but how unlucky can you be?”

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is about three drag queens who go on road trip across Australia in a bus they name Priscilla.

Mr Foster said: “We’ve still got to make the giant heel for them and we’ve already started work on the new mould. We’ve moved the production to another unit across the car park.”

Fibresports has been based on the Bowlers Croft industrial estate since 1971.

The firm had run a workshop from the unit, which was burnt to the ground on Saturday morning, since 1973.

The business has also made giant models of alcoholic drinks bottles for advertising promotions, as well as Mickey Mouse and other popular cartoon characters for Disney.

No one was injured in the fire.