Huge blaze in Spain next to Elche airport.

FIREFIGHTERS of Alicante battled a fire on Thursday in a scrapyard next to Elche airport.

Sources have explained that the fire started shortly before 6.20 p.m. in a facility apparently located in the vicinity of the Alicante Fair Institution (IFA)

First indications suggested that the fire would have originated when compacting a vehicle, which caused an explosion that resulted in a fire that has spread through the installation.

Several engines of the Elche and San Vicente de Raspeig fire divisions, with fourteen firefighters, as well as rescue teams, rushed to attend the blaze which caused a dense smoke.

The Alicante reinforcement operation consisted of four provisions with twelve firefighters to help “extinguish the complicated” and “appalling” fire, according to sources from the Department of Security.

Luckily the smoke had not affected air traffic and there was no report of personal injury.