A FIRE broke out at a fisheries smokehouse, destroying 50kg of smoked salmon.

Firefighters were called to reports of a fire in an industrial building at Chigboro Farm and Fisheries in Chigborough Road, Little Totham, at 7.16am last Thursday.

A brigade spokesman said: “On arrival, crews confirmed that a smokehouse measuring approximately ten metres by five metres was well alight.

“Firefighters worked hard to extinguished the fire by 7.57am.

“The cause has been recorded as accidental.”

There were no injuries.

A spokesman for salmon smokers Lambton and Jackson said the fire would not affect the business.

Farm owner Sam Tallowin said: “It was a fire in one of the smokehouses.

“It was there for about 20 minutes.

“The fire had gone out before the fire crews got here but they still did a thorough check of the area.

“It seems the duct for the smoker caught fire and spread to the roof.

“Unfortunately, it also got to some of the electrics.

“There was a whole batch of smoked salmon in there which was ruined, which is a shame because a lot of work goes into it.”