Newbury Road has been closed between Andover and Enham as emergency crews deal with a fire which witnesses say spread rapidly. Firefighters were called to the blaze on Thursday, with smoke and flames affecting the area and forcing the closure of the road while crews worked at the scene. 
Members of the public reported seeing the fire develop quickly, with one witness saying she spotted the blaze in its early stages and immediately called the fire service. She said: “It was me who saw it first and called the fire brigade. “It wasn’t huge when we saw it but it had covered so much ground so quickly. Scary stuff.” Motorists approaching the incident were being turned around and advised to find alternative routes while emergency crews continued their operations. 
One member of the public also thanked a woman who had been helping drivers near the scene by directing vehicles and providing updates about what was happening. 
The cause of the fire has not been confirmed. Comments posted online speculating that recent fires may have been started deliberately have not been substantiated, and there is currently no confirmed evidence regarding how this blaze began. 
People are being advised to avoid Newbury Road between Andover and Enham and allow emergency services space to work. This is a developing incident and further updates will follow.
Originally published by UKNIP.
