A fire station has shared dramatic photos of a large fire which broke out at a former factory site in Somerset. The blaze began at around 12.40pm today (January 2) at the Oscar Mayer site in Chard, blazing inside a disused building.
Firefighters were quickly sent to the scene and local residents were warned to keep their doors and window closed against clouds of thick, black smoke. A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Chard and Ilminster successfully extinguished the blaze by around 3.45pm.
Oscar Mayer closed its factory on the A358 Furnham Road in Chard in August 2021, at a cost of 860 jobs, with the company arguing it was too expensive to modernise the existing buildings within the site. In September 2022, the site was sold off to an undisclosed buyer and was reportedly set to be turned into housing, but the site remains vacant with no formal planning applications for its redevelopment.
Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: “Multiple calls were received into Fire Control at around 12:42pm today with reports of a building fire in Chard. Two fire engines from Chard and one fire engine from Ilminster were mobilised to the address and are currently working to extinguish the fire.
“Due to large amounts of smoke in the area, advice has been given to nearby residents to close windows and doors. More updates to follow.
“Update at 15:46hrs: attending fire crews have used four breathing apparatus, one concentrated air foam jet, two main jets, one safety jet, one gas monitor, positive pressure ventilation and drain mats to extinguish the fire.”