Seventy five fire-fighters have been tackling a major blaze at a waste timber yard in a west Norfolk village

Eastern Daily Press: A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

Plumes of smoke continue to rise the air today after a fire at a waste timber yard in a west Norfolk village on Saturday.

Forty thousand cubic metres of scrap timber have been alight.

A spokesman for Norfolk fire service said today that the cause of the fire had not yet been established.

Fire-fighters quickly got the blaze under control but it is expected to take several days to extinguish completely.

Eastern Daily Press: A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

The fire, at a privately-owned timber yard, on Common Lane, North Runcton, near King's Lynn, started just before 12pm on Saturday.

Plumes of smoke were continuing to rise today.

The fire service is advising residents of North Runcton and nearby West Winch to keep doors and windows shut.

Nobody has been harmed and Scott Norman, group manager at Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service, said the only damage has been to the scrap timber.

Eastern Daily Press: A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017A fire continues to burn in a timber yard in North Runcton. Byline: Sonya Duncan Copyright: Archant 2017 (Image: Archant 2017)

Mr Norman said: 'This is a significant deep-seated fire and it will take some time to extinguish.

'We've had 50 fire-fighters working here at one time and a total of 75 fire-fighters, with rotating of crews.

'We currently do not know what has caused the fire and an investigation is on-going.

'We are working with the Environment Agency to limit any contamination of watercourses.

'We will meet on site in the morning with partner agencies, including the local resilience forum, to determine the best strategy for dealing with this incident.'

Five crews from King's Lynn, Downham Market, Sandringham, the water carrier from Fakenham, the high volume pump from Thetford and the control unit from Wymondham with an urban search and rescue lighting team have been at the scene.

They were working late into the night and will continue to work on Sunday.

Police and ambulance staff have also attended.

Volunteers from the Rapid Relief Team came out to provide the fire-fighters with hot food, drinks and other refreshments.