PEOPLE in Westbury say they should have been given better warnings after a chemical blaze filled the skies with toxic smoke.

A plume of smoke containing harmful pollutants spread after four 200-litre chemical drums caught fire at Absolute Solvents in Brook Lane at around 9.30am on Thursday.

The firm has declined to comment on the fire or its cause.

But some firms near to the solvent recycling plant said they had received no police warning to keep their windows and doors shut.

Colas Oil service engineer Liam Trott, who had to leave work early because of the smoke’s effects, said: “I was working as normal when all of a sudden this huge black cloud of smoke filled the sky.

“It then came over where I was working and had a weird toxic smell to it.

“I struggled to breathe at first and then had a bad headache for quite a few hours after, even after I was sent home.

“It took quite a while for me to feel 100 per cent which was worrying. I was tempted to go and see a doctor.

“I had no idea there was a chemical plant right next to where I work and wasn’t told about the fire either, which is not good.”

Other nearby employees said that they first learned of the fire through social media and were concerned at the lack of an official warning.

Tim Smith, a senior warehouse operative at a nearby business, said: “As I work with chemicals, I know the damage they can do, which is why I am very concerned that we weren’t notified about it.

“The smoke didn’t come over us but we could see it. We had no idea it was from the chemical plant until an hour after the fire started.

“I’ve heard that it’s not the first time there has been a fire there, so I am slightly concerned about future incidents.”

A number of other business including The Paper Bag Company and Van Monster, as well as Westbury Infants School, were also left in the dark as fumes continued to spread through the town.

This week, Wiltshire Police said: "Officers at the scene of the fire closed Stephenson Road and Brook Lane, and as a precaution asked local businesses and people to close their windows and doors.

“A dynamic multi-agency meeting was held with colleagues from the health service and the risk from the plume, taking into account all factors including the wind direction and dissipation, was deemed to be minimal to the public.

"However, advice was released via Community Messaging, social media and the force website, along with a press release from Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service to local media.

“This information was also published by Wiltshire Council and followed up by a communication informing the public the fire had been dealt with." 

An Environment Agency spokesman said: “The operation on Thursday was a good example of working with partners to minimise damage to the environment.”