Thick smoke was seen billowing up in the air as the blaze took hold.
Firefighters arrived at the scene to extinguish the flames.
The incident happened at the scrap metal recycling business HD White in Yapton.
In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service said just after 5.30pm: “We are currently responding to a fire at Ford Industrial Estate near Yapton in West Sussex with five crews in attendance. If you live nearby, please keep windows and doors closed. Please avoid the area so firefighters can work safely.”
It posted another update just before 7.45pm on X, saying: “The fire at Ford Industrial Estate has now been safely put out and our fire crews are leaving the site.”
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The scene of the fire. Picture: WSFRS/Eddie Mitchell Photo: WSFRS - EDDIE MITCHELL