Fire at Chickerell Road waste depot in Weymouth

Fire crews were alerted to the large fire involving multiple vehicles at Crookhill waste plant at around 2.13pm, which caused a lot of smoke and several explosions.

Multiple eyewitnesses report huge clouds of smoke billowing over the depot in Chickerell Road.

Picture: Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service

One eyewitness said: "There's an incident at the entrance to the cement works - there are big bangs going off and fire engines blocking the entrance."

For live updates as the incident unfolds click here

As of 4.43pm on November 15, there were approximately 15 fire crews in attendance – from Wareham, Poole, Swanage, Hamworthy, Weymouth, Portland, Bridport, Dorchester, Charmouth, Beaminster, Lyme Regis, Sherborne, and Blandford – together with aerial ladder platforms from Weymouth and Westbourne, water carriers from Poole and Yeovil, and support appliances from Poole, Hamworthy and Gillingham.

A spokesman for the fire service said: "Over fifty 999 calls were received after the fire broke out shortly after 2pm, as plumes of black smoke were seen across the Weymouth area and a number of explosions were heard

"Please keep doors and windows closed in the local area as a precaution. We have firefighters on scene working hard to prevent the fire from spreading further."