A huge fire is burning on the outskirts of the Melbourne CBD at a factory. Pictures from several kilometres away show a giant cloud of smoke over several suburbs.
A huge fire is burning at a factory in Brunswick East, 5km north of the Melbourne CBD.
Pictures show flames erupting from the top of the Alpha Trading building — an import and export business on John Street.
Clouds of thick, black smoke are visible from several kilometres away.
Fire Rescue Victoria issued a smoke warning for a number of nearby suburbs including Brunswick, Brunswick East, Carlton North, Coburg, Fitzroy North, Northcote, Parkville, Princes Hill and Thornbury.
Firefighters are at the scene trying to bring the fire under control as it burns just metres from neighbouring properties, including many homes.
One witness on the ground wrote on social media that it looked as if the flames had “spread to neighbouring apartments”.
More to come.
