Fire crews and several specialist resources have been tackling a huge blaze at a paper mill in Fife.
Emergency services were called to Sapphire Paper Mill on Glenwood Road, Leslie, just shortly after 5am on Tuesday.
Large flames and plumes of smoke were seen coming from the area.
Thirteen crews attended the blaze at its height.
One appliance remained at the scene on Wednesday morning.
There are no reported injuries.
One man who lives just off South Street East said: “I hadn’t heard about the fire until I opened the curtains and saw the red glow through the trees.
“I couldn’t see any flames at that point just the glow and the smoke.
“It could take a while to go out.
“I worked there in the early 2000s and there was a fire, it took two days to get it out because of the paper.”
Another resident, who lives on Roxburgh Road in Glenrothes, said: “It is sad to see something like that happen.
“It is good to hear nobody was injured, though.”
A woman living on the same street said: “I didn’t hear about it until I got a call from my daughter.
“I saw the smoke this morning letting the dog out but I just thought it must be due to rain as it was so dark out.
“When I heard about the fire I was worried about the trees close to the mill.”
Residents urged to keep windows and doors closed due to Leslie paper mill fire
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 5.14am on Tuesday to reports of a building fire within the town of Leslie, Fife.
“Operations control has since mobilised 13 fire appliances and several specialist resources to the town’s Glenwood Road.
“Firefighters continue work to extinguish a well-developed fire within a large industrial building. There are no reported casualties.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Emergency services are in attendance at a fire at a premises on Glenwood Road in Leslie.
“There are no reports of injuries.
“Nearby homes and premises should keep windows and doors closed.
“The public is urged to avoid the area if possible.”
Mill operator confirms no injuries but ‘making no further comment about fire’
The source and cause of the fire have yet to be confirmed but it is understood the blaze has not spread to any warehousing or production facilities.
A spokesperson for Fourstones Paper Mill Company Ltd, which runs Sapphire, said: “We are aware of the ongoing incident at our paper mill in Leslie.
“Fire crews are continuing at the scene to bring the situation under control.
“Thankfully, we can confirm that there have been no injuries as a result of the fire.
“The company can make no further comment regarding the incident at this time.”
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