A MAJOR fire has seen large numbers of firefighters called to the scene, with huge plumes of black smoke pouring over a Herefordshire town.
Emergency crews were called to the Lower Road trading estate in Ledbury after the blaze broke out yesterday evening.
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Locals were warned by firefighters to keep windows and doors closed and avoid the area where possible as they battled the flames at the scene.
The fire saw the road blocked outside the Intime Engineering building in Lower Road, with a number of fire engines at the scene and jets of water being sprayed into the flames that leapt from the roof.
Local Russell Merryman said he had been at the scene of the fire for two hours after seeing smoke from his home nearby.
He said the incident has prompted a big response from both local fire crews and some from Gloucestershire.
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"I was there for an hour and they got things under control in that time. They had a command post set up along with a welfare unit providing refreshments," he said.
Mr Merryman saw workers at a nearby business, along with residents, watching the incident.
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He said a nearby factory had been evacuated earlier, with staff telling him there was concern for the fire spreading due to inks and solvents on the site.
Locals have described the blaze as "devastating", with an outpouring of sympathy for workers at the factory.
"So so sorry to those affected by this... Heartbreaking," wrote one local, while another wrote: " I am so sorry to everyone’s businesses involved. I hope u are all ok thinking of u".
It is understood that firefighters remain on scene this morning.
We are continuing to seek further information from emergency services.
