Firefighters remain at the scene of a major fire involving thousands of tonnes of scrap cars at Belfast Harbour, with firefighting operations continuing into Thursday morning.

The blaze broke out on East Twin Road on Wednesday, with Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) receiving the initial emergency call at around 12:14pm.

Crews worked throughout the night to contain and extinguish the fire, which involves an estimated 4,500 tonnes of scrap vehicles on Queen’s Island.

Firefighters have been supported by Belfast Harbour fire tugs and an aerial appliance as emergency services continue efforts to bring the incident under control.

Crews from Central, Knock, Cadogan, Westland, Bangor and Glengormley fire stations attended the incident. Additional support was provided by a high-volume pump from Whitla Fire Station and a command support unit from Lisburn Fire Station.

The NIFRS said late Wednesday that crews remained at the scene of a "well-developed fire" and warned that firefighting operations were expected to continue through the night.

Smoke from the blaze has been visible from surrounding areas, including near Belfast City Airport.

Residents and businesses close to the harbour have been advised to keep windows and doors closed while emergency crews deal with the incident. The public has also been asked to avoid the area where possible.

The Belfast Harbour fire is the second major incident involving scrap metal at the site this year, raising further concerns over fires involving large quantities of combustible material.

Emergency services are expected to remain at the scene as crews continue monitoring and tackling remaining hotspots.