Massive blaze hits Aberbeeg factory site

St Illtyds Primary School will remain closed all day, and a replacement bus service is operating from Ebbw Vale and Llanhilleth railway stations.

12.45pm

A fire service spokesperson said the fire is "moving lower and looks likely to last several more hours".

Residents have been advised to keep doors and windows closed to the smoke. Environment Agency and Blaenau Gwent Environmental Health are monitoring the situation.

Firefighters are using water from the River Ebbw to damp down the fire. Environment Agency officers are monitoring the Ebbw and so far no environmental impact has been observed from any run-off.

12.44pm

Blaenau Gwent Council and Gwent police are currently going door-to-door in the affected area to ask people, who are vulnerable or who have medical conditions, if they wish to be evacuated to a rest centre that has been set up at Abertillery Sports Centre.

12.42pm

A telephone line has been set up on 01495 311556 for people in the Llanhilleth/Aberbeeg area with any concerns about safety.

12.34pm

Rhianne Davies on the Argus Facebook page said: "It's awful - we are in Brynithel and woke up early hours to a sky full of black thick smoke. If its bad in Brynithel it must be terrifying in Llan and aberbeeg :-(

12.27pm

Residents say there is lots of debris falling people's houses in nearby streets like Partridge Road. People are also saying their water "has turned brown".

12.03pm

Clair Beacham sent this picture of the massive plume of smoke billowing outside her house. She said: "I've been awake since 1.30 this morning because of explosions".

11.23am

Flamed dying down at Glandwr Industrial Estate, Aberbeeg - from reporter David Deans

View of the Aberbeeg fire from Partridge Road, Llanhilleth - from reporter David Deans

10.33am

A spokesperson for Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council said residents in the following streets have been told to keep their doors and windows closed: Partridge St, Cae felin St, Meadow St, Railway St, Brynhyfryd, Penygraig, Mt Pleasant Estate

Map of the area, showing location of the blaze

10.07am

Vulnerable people with underlying medical conditions are being asked to leave homes the Fields, Llanhilleth because of the fire.

10.06am

Network Rail said delays of 20 mins were expected to last up to 11.30am.

10.01am

Arriva Trains Wales said services were disrupted between Cross Keys and Ebbw Vale, with a bus replacing the train for that stretch of the line.

They said the service is now back up and running with minor delays and disruption is expected to last until 11am.

9.58am

A spokesperson for South Wales fire and Rescue Service said at the height of the fire, 17 engines and 70 firefighters were tackling the blaze.

Two buildings are affected by the fire; a garage and a carpet warehouse, with one building reported to have suffered severe damage and has partially collapsed.

Residents living downwind of the blaze have been told to close all windows and doors.

The Cardiff to Ebbw Vale line in the area is closed and Llanhilleth station is also closed.

The cause of the fire is unknown and an investifgation with Gwent Police will be carried out.

9.44am

READER Darren Jackson sent this picture of the fire at Aberbeeg.

9.25am

Reader Michelle Hunt sent this picture of the blaze, saying: "This is the view from my bedroom window this morning at 7.30am from my house on Brooklyn Terrace, Llanhilleth. I was woken in the night about 1.30am by the fire, as you can see from pic, still lots and lots of smoke."

9.44am

READER Richard Gough said the fire had been burning since 2am and the fire service were still trying to control the fire.

He said there were a number of fire engines at the scene. He also reported poor driving confitions around the area.

8.30am

FIREFIGHTERS are tackling a fire at a Valleys industrial estate.

Eight crews were called to the Glandwr Industrial Estate in Aberbeeg at 1.05am.

Three factories are currently alight.

South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said firefighters were working in "defensive mode" over fears the buildings could collapse.

Crews are fighting the blaze from above from hydraulic platforms.

The service said the incident was likley to be prolongued.

Llanhilleth train station and St Illtyd's Primary School are both closed because of the blaze.

Did you see the fire? Contact our reporter Natalie Crockett on 01633 777246. Send your pictures to newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk or text them to 80360 with the message ARGUS NEWS