The fire broke out at an industrial zone in the small town of Bondues, located near the French border with Belgium. The blaze was so massive that the cascading plumes of smoke rising over the site have been seen as far away as the city of Lille, some 10 kilometers to the south.
Photos and videos shared on social media showed not just smoke, but huge tongues of flame rising above one of the warehouses in the Bondues industrial zone. Dozens of firefighters have been sent to contain the blaze, according to local media reports.
The 500-square-meter storage facility belongs to the Vandenbulcke company – a food wholesaler specializing in bakery products, French media said. No injuries have been reported, according to Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin.
The sight of the blaze drew onlookers to such an extent that it led to several traffic jams in the area, as motorists were slowing down out of "curiosity,” according to local reports. The cause of the fire is still unclear.
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