Video: Commuter warning as firefighters tackle blaze at Lancashire wood mill

Fire crews were called to Whitfire Shavings and Sawdust Supplies Ltd in Farington Moss just after 9am on Tuesday.

Initially, four fire engines were at the scene on the residential street, but 10 engines and an aerial ladder platform (ALP) have now been called out.

Police have urged residents to stay indoors and close windows amid fears of a “toxic threat”.

There are fears there could be asbestos at the site.

The blaze involves six buildings containing compressed sawdust, and about 90 firefighters are at the scene, along with police.

There have been no reported injuries.

Fire crews said several bulk sawdust warehouses, in an area measuring 100 metres by 100 metres, are on fire.

Firefighters are using the aerial ladder platform’s water jet from above, two ground monitors (jets) and several hand-held jets.

Crews at the scene are from Leyland, Bamber Bridge, Penwortham, Darwen, Blackburn, Hyndburn, Preston, Fulwood, Burnley, Longridge and Tarleton.

There are also extra resources of two ALPs, a control unit, a high volume pump and a total of approximately ninety firefighters.

Road closures are in place around the site, and neighbours are reporting “flames everywhere”, describing the scene as an “inferno”.

David Riding, who lives close to where the fire broke out, said: “It’s terrible, there are flames everywhere.

“The sky is black, it’s like an inferno,

“There’s plastic and all sorts falling out of the sky.”

Neighbour Isa McDermott, who lives in School Lane, added: “There’s thick black smoke going for about 150 feet up into the air.

“There have been about three or four explosions that sounded like gas canisters.

“You can see the tops of the flames.

“It looks like a nuclear explosion the way it’s coming up, and the wind is blowing it towards Preston.”