'It was like Armageddon': Huge fire breaks out in Leeds as buildings are evacuated

OVER 80 firefighters are battling a gigantic blaze at an industrial estate in Leeds which has been dubbed "The Great Fire of Armley".

The inferno broke out at a building belonging to Tradpak, a packaging and recycling firm, at around 1:50am on Monday.
The fire has sent plumes of smoke high into the air and people in the city centre have been warned to keep their windows shut because of potentially hazardous chemicals on the site.
Roads near the fire have been shut with buildings, including a packed nightclub, evacuated.

ARMAGEDDON: The fire broke out early on Monday morning at a recycling plant in Armley [TWITTER]

“There were fireballs shooting. It was really ferocious. Like Armageddon”

Anja Swan, a student at Leeds Metropolitan University

A student has described hearing explosions which sounded like thunder.
Anja Swan, a student at Leeds Metropolitan University, told the BBC: "We could see massive, massive clouds of thick black smoke, just billowing out into the air. We could see this even from our house about half a mile or so away.
"There were fireballs shooting. It was really ferocious. Like Armageddon.
"There were quite a lot of people on the streets who had been evacuated from buildings.
"It's a really huge fire. It was really quite scary. It was absolutely massive."

SMOKE: Over 80 firefighters have been fighting the blaze which was still burning this at breakfast time [TWITTER]

Area manager Ian Dunkley, from West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, told BBC Breakfast: "We were called out at approx two o'clock this morning to a large fire in a chemical recycling plant.
"Unfortunately, that's spread to an adjacent building that does commercial packaging.
"We've had approx 80 firefighters on scene.
"The initial crews were trying to protect surrounding properties and, in fact, we've saved three surrounding business which will be available to open tomorrow."
Mr Dunkley urged people not to come to the scene to watch the operation.