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Cannock fire: Smoke engulfs homes after blaze erupts with residents scared by ‘explosions’ and people told to evacuate
Crews have asked locals to shut their windows and evacuate
A MASSIVE fire has erupted near homes sending plumes of black smoke into the sky - with locals urged to evacuate.
Shocking photos show the huge cloud rising in Cannock, Staffordshire with fire crews racing to the scene.
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Fire officers urged locals to shut their windows, and asked nearby businesses to evacuate.
Dozens of firefighters were rushed to the scene to try to extinguish the blaze - which started before 6am in the parcel centre.
Snaps shared by horrified locals online showed the smoke rising into the blue sky, while others shared pics of fire leaping from an industrial-looking building.
One resident wrote: "What’s happening with the big fire down at Lakeside behind Sainsbury’s in Cannock?
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"Massive plumes of smoke can be seen for miles around."
Sam Winter, 32, caught footage of the fire.
The scaffolder said: "I drove out of Cannock Chase to a plume of smoke, so I drove all the way following it to get a video as my mum works across the road from there."
One person wrote on Twitter that they'd heard "a series of explosions" in the early hours of this morning.
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Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire started at Super Smart Services - a distribution warehouse "which contains a variety of different materials for delivery" - around 6am.
They said no one was inside the building when the fire broke out.
Fire service's latest update:
Crews got a call just before 6.15am this morning (Thursday 9 May) to an address on Cley Road.
We’ve currently got lots of firefighters down there alongside other colleagues from West Midlands Fire Service and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to help bring the fire under control.
We’re advising the public to avoid the area where possible whilst we work to bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion.
If you live nearby and feel you are affected, we recommend closing your windows and doors as a precaution due to heavy amounts of smoke coming from the building.
We will share updates as soon as we’re able to.
The service said around 9.30am: "We’ve currently got lots of firefighters down there alongside other colleagues from West Midlands Fire Service and Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service to help bring the fire under control.
"We’re advising the public to avoid the area where possible whilst we work to bring the incident to a safe and swift conclusion.
"If you live nearby and feel you are affected, we recommend closing your windows and doors as a precaution due to heavy amounts of smoke coming from the building."
Crews this morning labeled the fire a "very large-scale incident" and said 10 fire engines were at the scene.
It then added: "Fire Fighters are asking all residents to close windows and doors due to smoke and all local businesses to evacuate."
West Midlands Ambulance Service said it was called to the estate, but not needed.
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It said: “We were called at 6.36am by the fire service to Kingswood Lakeside in Cannock.
"Prior to our arrival, we were stood down as our assistance was no longer required."
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