FIREFIGHTERS tackled a ‘massive’ blaze at a pallet yard which caused plumes of smoke.

The fire broke out at JJ Pallets in Alan Ramsbottom Way, Great Harwood, yesterday.

Fire crews were called to the scene at 12.40pm and spent the afternoon battling the fire which involved about 600 wooden pallets.

The fire service said the blaze was under control by around 3.15pm and nobody was injured.

An investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of the fire.

Police were called to help with numerous road closures which were put in place while the incident was ongoing.

Hyndburn Road was closed between the Great Harwood Tesco roundabout and Whalley Road.

Alan Ramsbottom Way was also closed while emergency services dealt with the fire.

Eyewitnesses said cars parked nearby could be heard exploding and several vehicles were destroyed or badly damaged by the fire.

A nearby business owner said: “I was driving back over this way and I could see loads of black smoke.

“It all looked really bad when I got here. The fire was massive.

“Quite a few cars were destroyed.”

Another eyewitness said: “There must have been nine or 10 fire engines there. It looked really bad at first.

“The fire service has done a great job getting it all under control.”

The pallet yard had been evacuated when the fire service arrived. Firefighters then escorted people out of nearby buildings.

People in the area were warned to keep their doors and windows shut to keep safe during the incident.

Firefighters used fork-lift trucks to move some of the wooden out of the way at the site, while volunteers brought bottles of water for them to drink.

A fire service spokesman said: “Seven fire engines along with the stinger (apparatus which can pierce metal with a pump capable of spraying 5,500 litres of water a minute) from Blackburn and aerial ladder platform from Preston were in attendance at a fire involving a commercial unit and approximately 600 pallets.

“Firefighters used four jets alongside the stinger and aerial ladder platform.”