A fire at the Bilsdale TV transmitting centre has been extinguished but concerns remain around the structural integrity of a transmitter mast, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) has said.

More than 30 firefighters tackled the blaze at the remote, 1,000ft-tall TV transmitter earlier today amid reports of TV outages across York, North Yorkshire and Teesside.

In an update, the NYFRS said it worked in “difficult circumstances” and extinguished a fire in a “single-storey stone building” and a “transmitter mast”.

It added: “Only one building in a complex of four was affected and there are concerns about the structural integrity of the mast.

“A 300m exclusion zone has been put in place around the mast.

“Eight pumps from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident and firefighting has now ceased until the site has been confirmed as safe for further work.”

NYFRS said it would be working on Wednesday with Arqiva, the site operators, “to bring the incident to safe conclusion”.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (NYFRS) earlier said that six appliances had been sent to tackle the blaze at the Bilsdale transmitting centre, high on the North York Moors, north of Helmsley.

Firefighters said the blaze included the tower itself, which is 315 metres (1,032 ft) tall.

NYFRS said in a statement earlier today: “North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are currently in attendance tackling a fire at Bilsdale transmitting centre, which includes Bilsdale mast.

“We currently have six fire appliances and our mobile water bowser as well as command and control assets in attendance.

“Crews are working hard to control the fire in difficult circumstances – it is unclear at this time if any of the centre’s transmitting capability has been affected or the cause of the fire which will be investigated in due course.

“NYFRS ask that members of the public do not go near to the site, particularly as this area has limited access and we need to be able to move vehicles and people around to help fight the fire.”

The tower was built in 1969 and currently supplies digital TV signals to a large area of north-east England.

The fire is understood to be affected transmission of a range of TV broadcasts, including Freeview transmission.

A BBC spokesman said: “TV and radio services are being disrupted in parts of North Yorkshire and Teesside following a fire at the Bilsdale transmitter.

“We’re in close contact with the company that runs the transmitter who are working on restoring services. For those in the affected area, BBC Radio Tees is still available on BBC Sounds and online, as are the BBC’s other radio stations. BBC TV can be viewed through BBC iPlayer and on cable and satellite platforms.”