Smoke plume soars above M25 as blaze rips through self-storage depot
19 May 2023, 14:50 | Updated: 19 May 2023, 15:02
A thick plume of smoke could be seen bellowing into the skies above Surrey, as a blaze ripped through a self-storage warehouse on Thursday evening.
Emergency services at the scene could be seen tackling the blaze into Friday morning, with residents warned to keep doors and windows shut after smoke filled the air.
Firefighters were called to the storage warehouse on Oyster Lane in Byfleet, Surrey, at around 8.50pm after a fire alarm in one unit was triggered.
According to the fire service, the blaze is believed to have started in a single unit before spreading throughout the warehouse, with a car workshop and a builders merchant attached to the building.
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⚠️ Our crews and partners remain in attendance at the incident in Byfleet. We want to remind people to please respect the cordons we have in place. They are in place to keep both you and our teams safe.
— Surrey Fire & Rescue Service (@SurreyFRS) May 19, 2023
Please keep doors and windows closed if you are in the area. pic.twitter.com/QmogW8yf5h
Nine engines are believed to have tackled the blaze, with photos uploaded to social media showing members of Surrey Fire and Rescue dousing the shell of the building with water.
Taking to Twitter, Surrey Fire and Rescue wrote: "Our crews and partners remain in attendance at the incident in Byfleet.
"We want to remind people to please respect the cordons we have in place. They are in place to keep both you and our teams safe.
"Please keep doors and windows closed if you are in the area."
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Concerned customers took to Twitter to question when they'll hear whether their possessions are completely destroyed.
One user adding: "When you'll be contacting the storage unit holders... we're all holding our breaths not having had communication from anyone."
In response, Surrey Fire and Rescue wrote: "We will only be contacting storage unit holders from a fire investigation perspective, and we don't currently have any timeframe on this unfortunately."
National Highways also took to twitter to comment on the blaze, which was visible between junctions 9 and 10 of the M25.
An investigation has now been launched.
