Warning as fire spreads to building with live ammunition

A fire at a barn containing propane gas cylinders is spreading to a building in which there is live ammunition, crews have warned.

Firefighters from Wickhambrook, Ipswich Princes Street, Stowmarket, Newmarket, Needham Market, Haverhill, Ixworth and Bury St Edmunds were deployed to the farm in Upper Town, Wetherden, at about 13:46 BST on Wednesday.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has also sent responders from its Thetford and Diss stations to assist with tackling the blaze, while Suffolk Police officers attended and put a road closure in place.

The Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said everyone at the scene had been moved to a safe area and urged the public to avoid nearby roads.

"The public have been advised not to travel to the area, to avoid using the roads nearby and to keep windows and external doors closed if they live in the immediate vicinity," a spokesperson said.

"Early reports are that the fire is in a barn that is used to house workshop equipment and propane gas cylinders and is spreading to an adjacent building containing live rounds of ammunition.

"We reiterate, do not travel to the area. Further information will be shared when available."

Mark Cragg, temporary group manager from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, said fire crews found a "very well-developed fire" upon arrival.

"The fire is now fully surrounded and crews have worked incredibly hard and will be looking in the coming hour or so to scale down appliances on scene," he said.

"Safety of the crews is absolutely paramount to us and we've been able to remove an element of risk because of the fast actions of our crews."

Anglian Water and the East of England Ambulance Service have been informed, while UK Power Networks engineers have been asked to isolate power.

An investigation will be carried out in due court to establish the cause of the fire, the service said.

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