Burton fire: Huge blaze at factory as black smoke clouds seen miles away

All members of evacuated staff have ‘been accounted for,’ police say

Fire fighters are tackling a huge blaze which broke out at a factory in Staffordshire early on Thursday morning.

Smoke was seen billowing into the air in the Stretton area of Burton, with witnesses telling local media they saw huge black clouds forming from as far as seven miles away.

Firefighters have called the blaze a “significant incident” and urged locals to shut their windows and avoid driving near the site, which belongs to the animal feed firm Rumenco.

In a statement, the company said its factory on Derby Road “caught fire” at around 7.30am. It added: “Employees were present and were all safely evacuated. Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Services are currently working to contain the situation.

“At present, the cause of the fire is still unknown. We will be working with Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Services as this situation evolves and are thankful for their response.”

The fire service said its team had been at the “business premises” since 7.40am, following reports of a plume of smoke. “Firefighters from Burton, Cannock, Rugeley, Tamworth and Tutbury remain at the scene,” it said, adding: “No one has been reported injured.”

Residents and businesses in the area have been evacuated, with more than 10 fire engines said to be at the scene battling the flames.

The West Midlands Ambulance Service, which posted a video of the fire to its official Twitter page, is also in attendance, along with police.

One unnamed witness told local newspaper StaffordshireLive that she and her mother-in-law were shocked when they saw the smoke this morning.

The woman, from Horninglow, said: “My mother-in-law came to our house at 8am today and said, ‘Have you seen the smoke?’

“It was black and you could really smell it. We saw the smoke out the back and it looked to be coming from the Stafford Street area. We have heard sirens. The smoke has just been billowing out.”

Another witness, Samantha Bisknell, who works near the scene of the fire, said she saw the smoke as she was driving into work.

“At first I thought a storm was coming, until I realised only part of the sky was black. Then I realised something must’ve been burning. There was loads of traffic as I was driving through Burton past the scene,” she said.

“I could see the fire as I got close to the Burton Albion stadium and I was shocked at how high the flames were.”

A Staffordshire Constabulary spokesman said police had been at the site assisting with the closure of Derby Road, which is a busy main route into Burton from the A38, and Hawkins Lane. He added that all of Rumenco’s evacuated staff had “been accounted for”.

Crews are in the process of using “two main jets” to extinguish the fire, which is 30m by 30m, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said in its latest update.

Officials warned nearby businesses and residents they “may have their water supply disrupted” as a result. “We thank you for your patience and understanding at this time,” they added.

Meanwhile, the West Midlands branch of the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned locals they “should stay indoors, keep doors and windows closed and check online/local radio for info”.

In a tweet, the agency advised: “Any smoke can be an irritant, so people should avoid/limit time spent in areas affected by smoke/ash.”