Residents in South Townsville have been advised to close all doors and windows to avoid possible irritant smoke inhalation following an industrial fire.

The fire in a pile of scrap metal and plastic rubbish at the Port of Townsville on Hubert Street sent huge plumes of thick smoke over the north Queensland town when it started about 5:00pm.

Several small explosions were also heard.

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It took three Queensland Fire and Emergency Services crews in breathing apparatus about two hours to contain the blaze.

"The premises houses plastic and scrap metal rubbish which has emitted possible irritant smoke fumes," a police statement said.

"The fire has been contained and there is no threat to neighbouring properties."

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Wayne Paxton said no one from the community has been treated as a result of the smoke.

However, he has advised nearby residents to shut all doors and windows to keep smoke out of the house.

"The smoke has been deemed as non-toxic ... But if you have a respiratory illness it may cause a bit of an irritant on that illness," he said.

"If you've got asthma it may start of an asthmatic attack or something like that."

It is not yet known how the fire started.

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