Kilwinning fire perilously near houses sends huge plumes of smoke into air with 'loud bangs'

A has ripped through a battery plant with thick smoke filling the sky after it exploded for the second time in a year.

raced to the scene at 12.42pm today and are currently tackling the flames at the Fenix Battery Recycling plant in Kilwinning, Ayrshire, this afternoon. Six fire service appliances are on the scene near St Luke’s Primary School and people have been urged to avoid the area.

It comes a year after the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service battled a blaze at the site which raged for four days. Local residents have shared footage of the fire and the plumes of smoke while there have also been reports of “explosions” heard.

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Worryingly battery missiles have been seen flying from the fire into the direction of homes and locals have said people have been hit. Laura Dobbie, 42, described the scene as being like a "war zone". She said: "Police have told us people have been hit with flying batteries. I’ve not heard if they’ve been hurt but it’s terrifying. It’s like living in a war zone. People have had their windows smashed with flying batteries."

Footage from the scene shows bright orange flames tearing through the site while the white clouds can be seen filling the sky from miles around. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said that so far there have not been any reported injuries but it did urge people to avoid the area.

A spokesperson for the fire service said: “We were alerted at 12.42pm on Wednesday, April 9, to reports of a large fire within a recycling centre on Byrehill Place, Kilwinning.

“Operations Control has mobilised six fire appliances to the scene and firefighters are working to extinguish the flames. There are currently no reported casualties. As a precaution, members of the public are being asked to avoid the area and close windows and doors if affected by smoke.”

While a Police statement read: “Emergency services are in attendance at a fire in West Byrehill Industrial Estate, Kilwinning. Motorists and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area.”

A major investigation was launched into the cause of the fire last year, which raged for four days in April last year. The CEO of Fenix Battery Recycling, Damian Lambkin, apologised to the local community after hundreds had to evacuate their homes due to the blaze.