Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen for miles around after a fire broke out at three chicken sheds in Marsham, near Aylsham.
Huge plumes of black smoke could be seen for miles around after a fire broke out at three chicken sheds in Marsham, near Aylsham.
The smoke was blowing across the busy A140 causing traffic to be slowed and motorists were urged to take care and avoid the area, if possible.
People living in nearby houses were also warned to keep windows and doors closed.
Eight pumps were sent to the scene at about 10.50am today and crews will remain on scene the rest of the day and overnight.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service group manager Clive Wells said: "We were called at 10.54am. We had eight pumps plus the water carrier and the control unit at the scene.
"Three derelict chicken sheds were 100pc destroyed. There are not believed to be any people injured.
"The fire was under control by about 12.30pm, but crews will remain at the scene the rest of today and tonight.
"Some large conifer trees near the sheds were scorched, but we managed to stop the fire spreading.
"I don't know what it could have been like, if it had been tomorrow, when the strong winds are predicted."
Luckily, the wind blew the smoke away from nearby houses.
Motorists could see a large plume of smoke "from miles away", and Joshua Perren said that it appeared to be coming from a building behind The Plough Inn pub.
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Flames could also be seen high in the air, with Mr Perren saying that he could see them over the top of the pub, which is two storeys high.
Crews from Aylsham, Sprowston, Earlham, Carrow, Wroxham, Mundesley and Sheringham, together with the water carrier and control unit from Wymondham, used their main jets to fight the fire.
A crew from Stalham was also mobilised to reports of a second fire on Spa Lane in Aylsham, but this was a false alarm caused by smoke coming from the chicken shed blaze in nearby Marsham.
Rachel Goode, who lives close to the sheds, said: "I smelt smoke at about 10.30am and thought that one of my neighbours might have been having a bonfire.
"Then a bit of panic set in and I thought my house might have been on fire, but it was the sheds."
Another resident, Hannah Long, said: "I was asleep when my other half called to ask if I knew there was a fire.
"I saw it and was scared - fire is a big fear of mine."
Neighbour Tina Mallett said: "I saw smoke from the field, while helping my neighbour out with the horses. I came back to the house to check on the dog. The flames were higher than the conifers."
The cause of the fire is not yet known.
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