FIREFIGTHERS spent three hours tackling a large fire on the Balthane Industrial Estate, Ballasalla.  Numerous calls were received about the blaze around 6pm last night.

Two fire crews from Castletown attended and on arrival found a large quantity of waste materials well alight some distance from the road within a construction site.

Firefighters encountered some difficulty reaching the fire due to the water logged terrain, but fought the fire with a water jet, fed from a pump some distance away.

It was also necessary to ferry water to the scene to fight the fire.

Station officer Alan Gawne said: 'It was quickly discovered that some of the materials involved were of a plastic nature, and due to the wind direction the village of Ballasalla was completely engulfed in smoke.

'The officer in charge requested that the local media broadcast a request for people to stay indoors if possible and keep all doors and windows closed.

'Smoke was reported as far as St Marks.

'With some difficulty the fire was eventually extinguished with the aid of a mechanical digger and crews left the scene at about 9pm.'

*As a postscript to this story as a regular walker around Balthane I am amazed that this has not happened before, the whole area is disgusting and rubbish both inflammable and otherwise lies every where, how long will it be before we have a major disaster on Balthane.

Editor.