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| Dozens of firefighters at blaze | |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| At least 75 firefighters are at the scene of a fire at a packaging site containing chemicals in Herefordshire. | |
| About 150 people were told to leave their homes due to the possible danger of explosions during the blaze at Skymark in Leominster. | |
| A 200m (218.72yd) exclusion zone has been set up in the area. | |
| The fire service said the site on Southern Avenue contains "a large quantity of chemicals, solvents and LPG gas cylinders". | |
| 'Wake up' | |
| A fire service spokesman said: "We're having to tackle the blaze externally because of the dangers not just to our firefighters but also to the immediate population around that area." | A fire service spokesman said: "We're having to tackle the blaze externally because of the dangers not just to our firefighters but also to the immediate population around that area." |
| The service was called at about 0330 BST on Wednesday and crews from Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Shropshire were sent to the scene. | |
| The Minster College, Leominster Infants and Leominster Junior schools have been closed. | |
| Jim Melia, who lives near to the scene, said it was on the southern edge of the town and there was a plume of black smoke "going right across" Leominster. | |
| Speaking from a hill overlooking the town, he said: "The plume of smoke is going to the north over the town. | |
| "About 5 o'clock this morning we heard just the odd emergency sound of an ambulance or something and it happened a few times. | |
| "I think they were just trying to wake people up and make them aware something was going on." |