Evacuation centre opened as firefighters tackle huge Mansfield factory blaze

Emergency services were called to Savanna Rags, on the corner of Forest Road and Nottingham Road, today, Saturday, March 18, at about 3.45pm.

Nottinghamshire Police said there are “no reports of any injuries”.

A Nottinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service spokesman said: “We are in attendance at an industrial fire on Forest Road, Mansfield.

“Please avoid the area and, if affected by the smoke, close doors and windows.”

Nearby homes have been evacuated and roads closed in the area by Nottinghamshire Police as firefighters tackle the blaze.

An evacuation centre has been opened at Oak Tree Leisure Centre, “as a place of safety for members of the public affected by the fire”.

At 4.35pm, NFRS Tweeted said: “Currently we have crews from Mansfield, Ashfield, Blidworth, Edwinstowe, Hucknall, Arnold, Warsop, Shirebrook, Maltby, Kibworth, Stapleford, Chesterfield, Worksop and Highfields in attendance. Please avoid the area.

“About 50 firefighters are on scene, we have received a large number of calls since this incident which started at 3.45pm.”

In a further update at 6.20pm, NFRS said: “To enable us to tackle the incident safely, we have had to isolate the local electrics. Parts of Forest Road, Sandhurst Avenue, Bessemer Drive and Nottingham Road are without power. Electricity will be restored as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The blaze is at Savanna Rags, a family-run textile recycling company which works to support charity and divert clothing waste away from landfill.

The firm says it “collects and exports high-quality, secondhand clothing from the UK”, believing “the majority of discarded textiles can be reused, or recycled into something new”.

Thick black smoke could be seen billowing from the scene, visible from as far away as Edwinstowe and Sherwood.

Chief Inspector Amy Styles-Jones, of Nottinghamshire Police, said at 7pm: “Thankfully, there are no reports of any injuries, but neighbouring streets have been evacuated as a precaution.

“The Oak Tree Leisure Centre, in Jubilee Way South, will open from 7pm as a place of safety for members of the public affected by the fire.

“This incident is likely to be ongoing for some time so please avoid the area if possible.”

Coun Stephen Garner, Nottinghamshire Council Independent member for Mansfield South, said this afternoon: “Massive fire at Savanna Rags on Nottingham Road/Sandhurst Avenue.

“I heard an almighty bang and several fire appliances are there.”

And a spokesman for Ashfield Fire Station in Kirkby said: “Firefighters from Ashfield Fire Station and others from across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are in attendance at an industrial fire at Savanna Rags, Forest Road Mansfield. Please slow down on the approaches. Avoid the area if possible.”

Posting on the station’s Facebook page, Iona Brodie Laycock said: “Heard two massive explosions about 3.50pm, then saw the smoke. Sounded bad, really hope everyone is okay.”

Crowds gathered this afternoon as black smoke and flames could be seen.

One person said: “We saw the flames and the smoke licking up and we saw it was Savannah Rags. We could hear a couple of pops.”

Another said: “Someone messaged me and said ‘have you seen the fire’? and then we looked out the window.

"We can’t believe how bad it is.

"There are a lot of ambulances here as well.”

And another said: “We were heading to the pub and we saw everyone stood around. We heard some bangs as well.”

A neighbour said: “We saw a police car go by and heard some explosions. Police were asking people to move.

“There’s not a lot you can do really, just got to wait until you can go back in.”