Battle to control scrapyard blaze

Your Pictures: Scrapyard fire

Firefighters are still battling to control a major fire at a scrap metal merchants in Renfrew.

About 30 of them have been tackling the blaze at Christie & Son scrap metal merchant since 1430 BST on Tuesday.

Emergency services said the massive pall of black smoke was being created by a deep-seated fire in a 30ft mountain of mangled scrap metal.

Heavy lifting diggers were also being used to gouge out large quantities of metal from the immediate area on fire.

Smoke was drifting right into Glasgow.

A spokesman for Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said the emergency services were initially hampered by the hazardous nature of the components which were ablaze.

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Reader's video of the scrapyard fire. Sent in by Peter MacDiarmid

He added: "The on site heavy lifting mechanical diggers are also being used to great effect to gouge out large quantities of metal from the immediate area on fire thereby allowing the flames to be directly attacked by the firefighting resources on hand."

The spokesman said that while people should not be concerned about the effects of drifting smoke, they should keep doors and windows closed until it passed.

A tributary of the River Clyde was being used to ensure there was enough water available for the crews.