Smoke warning as 70 firefighters tackle blaze

A specialist fire vehicle which has a yellow ladder extending from it. There are houses on either side and trees behind. Beyond that can be seen black smoke and orange and yellow fireImage source, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue
Image caption,

Several specialist vehicles have also been deployed to the blaze, which is now under control but expected to burn for some time

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A fire service has scaled back its response to a blaze at an industrial building on the edge of a village, but still advised residents to keep doors and windows shut.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to an incident in Mill Lane, Whittlesford, south of Cambridge, at about 01:45 BST.

At its height, about 70 firefighters were involved in tackling the 40m by 60m (131ft by 196ft) blaze, with the help of 10 fire engines and several specialist vehicles.

A spokesperson for the service said about 25 firefighters have remained at the scene, and the fire will continue to burn in a controlled way for several hours.

Firefighters at the site of a fire at an industrial building. The back and side views of least eight firefighters. There is a fire engine on the right and a specialist fire vehicle on the left. Smoke is billowing above the buildingImage source, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue
Image caption,

The large fire measured about 40m by 60m (131ft by 196ft) when crews arrived in the early hours of the morning

The smoke plume has reduced, but the fire service said people living close to or south of the site should keep their doors and windows closed for the rest of the day.

Crews from Cambridgeshire, as well as the neighbouring counties of Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Essex, attended the scene.

Four fire engines, an aerial appliance and an incident command unit have remained on site.

An investigation into its cause of the fire would take place once it was safe to do so, they added.

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