Thick black smoke was visible for miles around Ashford this morning after a heavy goods vehicle (HGV) caught fire at the Sevington Inland Border Facility.
The incident occurred at around 8.45am today (Saturday, 4 May 2025) at the facility, which is used for customs checks on lorries arriving in the UK via Dover or Eurotunnel.
Emergency services responded rapidly to the scene. While large plumes of smoke caused widespread concern locally, no injuries have been reported at this stage.
The Sevington Inland Border Facility is a key site for post-Brexit customs inspections and plays a crucial role in facilitating the movement of goods between the UK and Europe.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of the fire, and investigations are underway.
Motorists were advised to avoid the area during the height of the response, and drivers heading to the facility for customs checks experienced some disruption.
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