Huge Lancing fire under control but residents told to keep windows shut
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Adrian Willard said there is still smoke in the surrounding area as he reminded local residents to keep their doors and windows closed.
A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters were called to a fire involving ‘scrap metal’ off Chartwells Road in Lancing at 1.35pm.
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Hide AdEight fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were sent to the scene, the spokesman said, as firefighters battled to bring the fire under control.
Sussex Police were also in attendance and closed surrounding roads to ensure public safety.
Just after 5pm, Mr Willard said: “Crews from West Sussex and East Sussex were called to a fire involving scrapped cars and local outbuildings. The fire is now under control and a total of eight fire appliances attended the scene.
“There is still smoke in the surrounding area so we ask local residents to keep your doors and windows shut for the foreseeable time.”
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Hide AdPhotographs shared on social media show the scale of the blaze, which is visible from up on the South Downs and miles along the coast.
Colin Bush works at the industrial estate and said he was in his car eating his lunch when an explosion shook the vehicle.
“I thought someone had just dropped something or whatever, but then this huge draft came through the window,” he said.
“There were lots of pops and bangs and I just saw this black smoke. They’ve closed the estate off now though and are evacuating everyone.”
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Hide AdTrains were having to run at reduced speed as the sheer volume of smoke disrupts travel.
A spokesman for West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said it had received 65 999 calls about the incident by around 3.15pm.
Crews from Lancing, Worthing, Shoreham, East Preston, Arundel, Brighton and Hove and an aerial platform from Haywards Heath were all sent to tackle the fire, the spokesman said.
Adur and Worthing Police tweeted to say teams were assisting at the scene, cordoning off the area and evacuating people from nearby buildings.