Leamington fire: Fireball seen rising from huge blaze

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Firefighters and police have had to evacuate locals in Leamington Spa as a huge blaze erupted in a nearby industrial estate. While it is not yet confirmed what has caused the fire, footage emerging online has shown a large fireball launch itself in the air as a black cloud lingers over residential areas. Some locals also report “strong chemical smells” and “smaller explosions” with police confirming the fire has taken place on Juno Drive near the Heathcote Industrial Estate.

Locals who live nearby to the blaze are being evacuated from their homes with those who live within 100m of the smoke are advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

Warwickshire Fire tweeted: “[We] are dealing with a large building fire in the Leamington area. Local residents were advised to keep doors and windows closed and a minimum 100 metres away from the incident.

Paul Evans said: “Drove past and people have their heads in their hand and being sick.

“Air ambulance just arrived.”

In pictures across social media, police can be seen ushering people away from the scene.

BBC News reports Anna Harrington-Ridley was walking to work in nearby Whitnash when she first saw the smoke at about 10.30 BST.

She said: “The road had not yet been closed and I kept hearing small explosions.

“I saw a little plume of smoke and thought it might be the allotments but it quickly got a lot darker and a lot bigger in the space of about two minutes and I realised it was definitely something a bit more serious.

“I was stood down there at the end of the road that has been blocked off and you could see the massive plume of smoke, there was fire, explosions, all sorts of things.”

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