A major incident has been declared while firefighters tackle a huge warehouse blaze that could be seen from up to 10 miles away.
A dozen fire engines were called to the incident on the Sanders Lodge industrial estate in Rushden, Northamptonshire, at 6.30am on Friday. Crews have been working to prevent the fire from spreading.
All roads on the estate have been closed while emergency services deal with the incident, and people are asked to avoid the area and find an alternative route.
The blaze is at Monoworld, a recycling facility close to the A45. No injuries have so far been reported.
Emergency services said the fire involved a “large quantity of plastic”, and the building was evacuated before firefighters arrived.
People nearby have been urged to keep their windows and doors closed while firefighters tackle the blaze. Emergency services said they expect to be at the scene for the rest of the weekend.
12 fire engines are on scene, as well as three aerial appliances, two water bowsers and a high-volume pump, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service said.
The Environmental Agency said its officers are at the scene to minimise the impact on the surrounding environment.
Smoke could be seen from Harrold and Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire, the fire service added.
Area manager Mick Berry, from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: “This is a large fire that is having a significant impact on the Sanders Lodge industrial estate in Rushden.
“A multi-agency decision has been taken to declare a major incident, but fire crews are working extremely hard to prevent the fire from spreading and reduce the smoke plume.
“We would urge people to stay away from the site while emergency services deal with this incident and ask nearby residents to close windows and doors due to the large amount of smoke issuing from the site.
“We anticipate that we will be on scene over the rest of the weekend, and we appreciate the impact this is having on local businesses on the estate and would like to thank them for their patience.”
