Fire crews are at the scene of a blaze at the the Flambeau factory site in Manston Road, Ramsgate.
Witnesses say the fire appears to be at the rear of the property. One said: “It was round the back, several fire engines are there and more heading that way.
“Staff were out the front by the main road.”
Police have closed road by Manston Tesco up to Princess Margaret Avenue. Nearby residents say there is thick black smoke and more emergency vehicles arriving.
Fire crews were called at 8.20pm. Six fire engines are currently at the scene.
A Kent Fire & Rescue Service spokesperson said: “Kent Fire and Rescue Service crews are tackling a fire in an industrial building on Manston Road, Ramsgate.
“Six fire engines are in attendance and crews are using main jets to extinguish the flames.
“There are no reported injuries and the cause is not yet known.”
A Flambeau spokesperson said: “Fire crews responded very quickly to the fire which is now under control thanks to the work of firefighters.
“Initial damage report is currently unavailable to obtain due to the recency of the event but we are confident and most of all grateful to our emergency services.”
UPDATE: Kent Fire and Rescue Service finished at the scene just after midnight. There are no reported injuries and the cause is not yet known.
The fire comes just three months after significant damage and theft from the Flambeau factory resulted in a temporary shutdown of the plastic parts business.
Thieves broke into the injection moulding company in Manston Road in July, looting from vending machines, stealing power tools and stripping copper from the power supply to manufacturing machines – meaning the business was unable to produce parts for its customers until restoring parts and power.
In October 2024 plans to flatten the factory and 118 homes at the site were approved by Thanet council.
