TOURISTS in a string of Spanish beach resorts were told to stay indoors today after a huge fire at a chemical plant sent a toxic chlorine cloud billowing over the area.

Holidaymakers in five popular towns near Barcelona were among 160,000 people ordered to shut their windows and stay inside as emergency services scrambled to contain the blaze.

The fire broke out at around 2.30am local time at a factory storing 70 tons of swimming pool cleaning chemicals in the seaside town of Vilanova i la Geltru, just 25 miles south of the Catalan capital.

The blaze caused a massive chlorine smoke plume to spread across a wide area, triggering an emergency lockdown across Vilanova i la Geltru, Cubelles, Les Roquetes de Sant Pere de Ribes, Cunit and Calafell.

In a stark warning on social media, Spain’s Civil Protection service said: “If you are in the affected area, don’t leave your house or your place or work.

“An alert will be sent to mobile phones to inform people about the lockdown.”

They added: “Don’t travel to the affected areas.”

The drama caused widespread disruption, with trains halted, roads blocked and local events cancelled.

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