Mystery burning smell pongs across Castle Cary

A mysterious burning smell alarmed Castle Cary residents last night (Wednesday, May 15), with firefighters being unable to find the source of the stench. Writing on a community Facebook group just before 11pm, one person asked if anyone else could smell burning.

The post attracted hundreds of comments, with two people claiming to smell it seven miles away in Wincanton. One concerned resident wrote: "I really hope no one is hurt, it’s an awfully strong smell! I’ve been walking around my home like a sniffer dog panicking".

Another person remarked: "Smells like burning tar where we are! I also thought my house was on fire!"

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Some described the smell as being like burning tyres or rubber. At 9.40 this morning, someone claimed to be able to smell burning in Shepton Mallet: more than eight miles away from Castle Cary.

Despite the alarming odour, firefighters were unable to discover its source. A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: "We received some calls about a smell of burning in the air in the Castle Cary area at around 11pm last night. A crew from Castle Cary Fire Station took some time to drive around and investigate but were unable to locate a source and there were no reports of any fires or incidents in the area at that time."

If you smell burning but cannot see the source of a fire, you should call 999. You can find out how to reduce your risk of a house fire on Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service's website.