Thick black smoke billowed over the M275 near Tipner this afternoon as fire crews rushed to tackle a major blaze at a Portsmouth boatyard.
The fire, which broke out just before 4pm on Tuesday, April 22, involves multiple boats on land at a boatyard on Tipner Lane. Motorists reported seeing towering smoke from the motorway as emergency services converged on the scene.
A spokesperson from Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire & Rescue Service (HIWFRS) confirmed:
“Firefighters are currently tackling a blaze involving a number of boats on land at a boatyard on Tipner Lane in Portsmouth.”
Fire crews from Southsea, Cosham and Portchester were dispatched after the HIWFRS control room received around twenty 999 calls from concerned members of the public.
Authorities have urged residents in the vicinity to keep windows and doors closed due to the heavy smoke in the area. The public is also being asked to avoid the scene while firefighting efforts continue.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known, and there have been no reports of injuries at this stage.
The incident has caused traffic disruption on the M275, with visibility affected by the smoke and increased activity from emergency vehicles.
