Guernsey’s on fire!

Friday 03 August 2018

There’s an old Jersey joke about ‘Red sky at night, Guernsey’s alight’ – but that really seemed to be the case this morning.

Islanders in St. Ouen’s Bay reported seeing thick black plumes of smoke coming from Jersey’s rival island.

While it left some islanders questioning whether the jokey adage had really come true – albeit at the wrong time of day – the truth was down to a fire at the island’s recycling centre. 

Pictured: Thick smoke could be seen pouring from the island from St. Ouen's Bay, Jersey. (Carolyn Morley)

Emergency services were sent to the area shortly after 09:00 after a number of phone calls alerting them to the blaze.

Sirens could be heard regularly over the next hour as more emergency service units were dispatched to help with the response. 

Pictured: The smoke was spotted from Sark.

One Express reader in Guernsey reported hearing a “small explosion” just 45 minutes later, but it is not yet clear if the noise is linked to the fire.

Despite efforts to calm the blaze, thick smoke continued to pour into the atmosphere and could be seen from as far away as Herm, Sark and even Jersey.

Pictured: Herm dwellers also caught sight of the major blaze's smoky output.

Check Express Guernsey for all the updates.