FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a severe blaze at an industrial estate in Ross-on-Wye.

Crews from Ross, Fownhope, Whitchurch, Ledbury, Malvern, Hereford, Droitwich, Worcester and Gloucestershire were all called to the Haigh Industrial Estate on Alton Road just after 5.45pm.

It is understood that Aqua-Heat Ltd, a specialist plumbers merchant, as well as neighbouring unit, The Safety Shack, are both on fire.

A quantity of gas cylinders are believed to have exploded at Aqua-Heat Ltd and a safety cordon is in place. Vehicles have been moved from the area. 

One of the units is currently inaccessible as it is not safe to enter but fortunately, despite the severity of the fire, no one is believed to have been injured.

George Marshall, group commander with Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, has urged residents to keep doors and windows closed.

He said there is no reason to be alarmed but the smoke is expected to last for several hours. 

An aerial platform, environmental health unit and a foam unit are also at the scene as well as officials from Herefordshire Council and police.

Welsh Water has said that drinking water supplies in the Gloucester Road area of Ross may be discoloured as a result of the fire service working in Alton Road.

On its website, the firm said: "We have a team on site flushing the main and hope to restore supplies to normal later this evening.

"If you notice some discolouration of your tap water, this is normal in this situation and the water should clear when run from a cold tap.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused."

Here are some pics taken from the scene:

This was sent in by David Howard who owns another unit on the estate, Rainforest Exotics.

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Fire crews at the scene. Photo: Ben Goddard.

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