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Watch as a terrifying 18-metre high 'Firenado' obliterates UK plastics factory

August 8, 2018

Firefighters in the United Kingdom have caught on camera a “firenado” that swirled over an industrial fire overnight, creating a hellish scene.

Residents were told to keep their windows closed as flames estimated to be over 18-metre-high consumed the Ravensbourn plastics factory, sending up a plume of smoke large enough that it could be seen 40 kilometres away, according to the Burton Mail newspaper.

Firenadoes are similar to the non-flammable variety that occur in nature, spurred by cool air pushing down on the hot air and causing a swirl, the Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service explained. The fire department’s video of the bizarre phenomenon has been shared nearly 2000 times in less than 12 hours.

More than 600,000 trays of plastic beads were destroyed as the blaze “completely gutted” the factory, factory officials told the Burton Mail.

1 NEWS meteorologist Dan Corbett talks us through them.

Firenadoes have also been spotted recently in the US as massive wildfires burn out of control — often making the blazes even more devastating.

"These "firenadoes" pick up burning embers, ash and debris, sucking them often hundreds of metres into the air,” 1 NEWS meteorologist Daniel Corbett explained. "Then they hurl them back to ground, often jumping fire lines and starting new fires away from the main one."

Firefighters from around the world have been deployed to the US to help the 27,000 firefighters already on the front lines, including 36 from New Zealand.

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