M5 shut after fire breaks out at industrial estate
AMAJOR fire broke out yesterday at an industrial estate in Somerset. The M5 was closed in both directions between Junctions 22 and 23 as smoke billowed across the motorway from the blaze at the Walrow estate in Highbridge.
Around eight fire engines and an aerial platform attended to deal with the blaze at a single-story building in Commerce Way early yesterday evening.
Avon and Somerset Police were asking people to avoid the area and moving vehicles away from the scene as firefighters worked to tackle the blaze as flames issued from the roof of the building.
An eyewitness, who was working as a cleaner on the estate at the time of the fire, took a picture of the scene around 6.20pm, showing thick dark smoke pouring across the road.
She said: “I came out of my work and heard loud popping sounds, and whooshes, like a firework being set off. But then I saw all the black smoke. My friend is a cleaner behind me in another unit and I ran down worried it was her, but it was further down. When I got there, there were already three fire engines, then more, around eight when I left [before 6.45pm].
“People were moving cars off the front to allow fire engines and police to get closer.”
A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said yesterday evening: “Fire control received multiple calls from the public regarding a building fire on Commerce Way.
“Two fire engines from Burnham on sea, two from Bridgwater, one from Cheddar, one from Taunton, an aerial ladder and water carrier from Bridgwater, incident command unit from Street, a welfare unit from Crediton, incident support unit from
Martock, a water carrier from Yeovil are currently in attendance alongside two fire engines from Avon Fire Service.
“On arrival, flames were issuing from the roof, crews are at work tackling the single-storey fire.”