Thick black smoke filled the skies above Oldham this morning after a huge fire broke out at a scrapyard.
Smoke could be seen as far as Manchester city centre as firefighters fought to extinguish the blaze on Higginshaw Lane in Royton. The fire broke out just before 11am.
Drivers were turned away from the scene after police put a cordon in place, causing a queue of traffic to build along the road. Water pumps could be seen within the cordon as fire crews worked to bring the blaze under control.
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Nearby business owners were forced to stand by the road blocks letting drivers know they were still open. When the Higginshaw Lane was eventually reopened just after 2pm, the smell of smoke still clung to the crisp autumn air.
The cause of the fire is still not known, although the Manchester Evening News has asked Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service for more information. A spokesman for the service said: "Just before 11am this morning (Saturday 17 September) firefighters were called to reports of a fire at a scrapyard on Higginshaw Lane in Oldham.
“Firefighters from Oldham, Chadderton, Bury and Hollins fire stations are at the scene and used hose jets to tackle the fire, quickly bringing it under control. We are now working to make the scene safe.
“Road closures are in place and we ask people to keep the area clear as there is a lot of smoke, and so our colleagues can continue to work quickly.”
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