Firefighters were called to action after a huge blaze broke out at a recycling centre in Southampton.
Residents from across the city could see a giant plume of smoke billowing from the Northam area after a scrap heap set alight at EMR Southampton Scrap Metal on Princess Street.
Once the blaze was reported to Hampshire Fire & Rescue Service - just before 10.30pm on Wednesday night - eight crews battled the blaze near Northam Bridge, which involved a pile of electrical waste.
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No injuries were reported, the fire service said.
Bitterne resident Ryan Wells dashed out to his garden to take a picture of the smoke.
He said: "I was watching TV when I heard what sounded like explosions outside. I rushed to get my phone and take a picture of what I could see.
“There were lots of banging noises that sounded like explosions coming from where the fire was.
“We were watching all the way across the Itchen River on Peartree Avenue and could see a giant plume of smoke that looked like it had engulfed the city.
“We watched on as the fire burned and were just amazed at the sheer size of it.
“Shortly after we had to go back inside because we were beginning to smell the harmful gases that were coming from the fire.
"I’m just glad that everyone is safe and nobody got hurt."
Oli Symms also saw the plume of smoke while riding his motorbike on his way home from work.
He said: "I saw blue flashing lights, I look to my right and saw a huge cloud of smoke - it was crazy.
"Then I got to about half way [across] Northam bridge.
"I then stopped and looked over and saw the fire."
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Seven fire engines and two aerial ladder platforms were at the scene after the fire service was alerted to the flames and smoke.
Crews from St Mary’s, Hightown, Redbridge, Eastleigh, Portchester, Fareham, Alton and Basingstoke tackled the blaze, with firefighters dousing the burning scrap heap with water from above.
At around 12.30am on Thursday, a Hampshire Fire spokesperson added: “Firefighters are using plant machinery to turn over and dampen scrap waste.
“The wind is blowing in an easterly direction; residents are advised to close windows and doors due to smoke from the fire.
Before scaling down their operation at 2.10am, the fire service said that the blaze had now been brought under control.
The spokesperson added: “We will shortly be scaling down our presence onsite as the fire has been brought under control.
“Two fire engines will remain on scene for the time being to continue damping down and dealing with any hotspots.”
Incident commander gives update on investigation
The incident commander in charge of the fire service's response on Wednesday night and Thursday morning has since given more information on the incident.
Simon Packer told the Echo the cause of the blaze is unknown at this stage but added that it is "under investigation".
He added that they stayed on at the scene until 3.30am.
He said: "The site was secured and there was nobody that has been seen entering or coming from the site.
"We went back down at seven o'clock this morning for a reinspection to make sure there were no hotspots left and the site was handed back to the owners."
Northam estate resident, Ann Little, was in her flat when the smoke billowed past her tower block.
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Ann told the Echo: “Big fires like this one do worry me, particularly when they are so close to home.
“What makes this more worrying is that this fire is just the latest in a series of fires in the Northam and Bitterne areas of Southampton.
“With the blaze near the stadium back in March it is concerning.”
In the other direction from the recycling centre, across Northam Bridge, Bitterne Road West has seen a number of large fires in recent months, including a car garage blaze and an inferno at a shared living flat.
Ann continued: “I have lived in Northam for 10 years and I have never known own so many fires as there has been in the last year.”
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