Dozens instructed to evacuate immediately following large fire near retail park

A huge fire has broken at a warehouse in Staffordshire today with nearby residents ordered to immediately evacuate.

Footage shows plumes of smoke rising into the sky close to Kingswood Lakeside in Cannock, near Orbital Islands retail park.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire started at a distribution warehouse called Super smart Services, which ‘contains a variety of different materials for delivery’.

In a post uploaded to X: ‘We have a very large scale incident close to the orbital islands in Cannock.

‘We have 10 fire engines in attendance supported by specialist equipment and officers.

‘Some roads closures are in place.’ 

They said no one was in the building when the fire broke out.

One resident, Grant Hames, said there were a ‘series of explosions’ before the fire broke out.

The fire service has urged everyone to close their windows due to the high levels of smoke.

All businesses near the retail park have been asked to evacuate.

Dozens of firefighters are trying to tackle the blaze in the town north west of Birmingham.

Residents from surrounding estates have reported seeing smoke in the sky.

Graham Tennant, a nearby neighbour in Cannock, captured footage of the fierce blaze at the commercial unit after being alerted by the sound of explosions. He took a video on his mobile phone from his back window showing the first moments of the fire.

One resident, Grant Hames, said there were a ‘series of explosions’ before the fire broke out (Picture: @davejonbright)

The fire service has urged everyone to close their windows due to the high levels of smoke (Picture: @SMitchellPoker/Twitter)

Graham told Metro.co.uk : ‘I was making a coffee and I could hear loud banging and popping sounds. I looked out to see the sky was just covered with smoke and the flames were visible.

‘Within an hour the whole building was engulfed in fire, I hope everyone is ok.’

Chris Eley, of CJ Drone, captured huge plumes of smoke rising from site as the blaze took hold.

His aerial images showed the scale of the fire, with the entire cross-section of the facility well ablaze and the flames and heat creeping towards freight containers in the front yard.

James Smith