Large blaze breaks out at industrial unit, forcing house evacuations
Videos posted online showed thick torrents of black smoke.
An industrial unit in south Wales has caught fire and homes have been evacuated, authorities said.
The blaze at a yard in Pontypridd broke out at around 7pm on Wednesday, with witnesses saying they heard explosions.
Videos posted online showed thick torrents of black smoke billowing up from the scene near Pentrebach Road.
John Richards, an IT worker who lives around a mile away, said he heard between six and 12 explosions coming from the site.
He added: “I thought it might have been a mountain fire at first, but the smoke was too thick and black and dense for that.
“I traced it back to its origin and it was emanating from the industrial estate.”
Four fire engines and three water bowsers tackled the fire, which has caused “significant structural damage” to the building, a fire chief said.
“A large volume of black smoke is affecting residential properties” and police have evacuated homes in the area, head of joint fire control at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Jennie Griffiths tweeted.
The fire involves a number of vehicles, she added.
