Ellington recycling centre blaze causes problems for firefighters
A fire which swept through Huntingdon Recycling Centre last Saturday was still burning on the Monday morning, meaning that fire crews had to remain at the scene until the flames had been fully extinguished.
The fire began in the early hours of Saturday when it was reported that more than a tonne of waste composted material had caught fire at the site in Ellington.
At the height of the blaze, about 3.30am, it took nine crews and around 60 firefighters to try and bring the situation under control. There was also support from the US Air Force who helped to provide water supplies to the Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire firefighters.
This caused the A14 westbound in Cambridgeshire to be closed for a number of hours and there was subsequent traffic disruption to the surrounding area.
The wood pulp fire was combatted by using heavy machinery, which helped to prevent the flames from spreading further.
However, despite getting a grip of things, firefighters still had to battle against strong winds which aggravated the situation, accounting for the prolonged nature of the fire.
Two fire crews were therefore still in attendance on the Monday morning, with a water foam unit in operation.
It is still not known what caused the fire and if it was started deliberately.
Threat of recycling plant fire spreading now averted
A disaster scenario usually reserved for movies almost become a reality last Friday when a fire at a glass processing plant in Ellesmere Port docks was looking like it would spread to a nearby power station.
If this had happened then dangerous chemicals would have been ignited and the situation would have been much worse than it was.
Fortunately, the 75 firefighters or so with their 15 appliances managed to prevent the flames from reaching the power station just in time.
The fire crews, from Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales, attended the fire at a Midland Glass Processing warehouse on North Road just after 1pm on Friday afternoon where they battled to gain control of the situation.
After three hours tackling the fire, the crews, assisted by workers who helped to clear the area, managed to avert the potential catastrophe.
A spokeswoman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Sian Corrigan, said:
“This had the potential to be a major blaze hence the number of resources sent to it. However, thanks to the actions of the crews they were able to prevent the fire developing from its initial state, which was relatively small although it did cause a lot of smoke.”
Barn fire leads to fire service smoke warning
The fire service issued a warning to residents in a village close to Swanage, Dorset, last week, to ensure that their doors and windows were kept closed for a time, following a huge barn fire which was emitting quite a large volume of smoke.
Despite the advice given to wait for the smoke to clear, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service moved quickly to allay fears that there was also asbestos contamination to worry about.
Firefighters were called to the blaze at Coombe Farm at Coombe Hill, near Langton Matravers, around 6pm last Tuesday evening to find that the flames in the barn were reaching around nine metres in height.
The barn was destroyed in the fire, and as it was made from asbestos sheeting, Dorset Fire and Rescue Service issued the following statement through their spokesperson:
“It must be stressed that any asbestos released would be of an insignificant amount.
“It is advised that if you live within the vicinity of this incident, and you smell smoke outside your property, close all windows and doors, and remain inside.
“This is purely a precautionary measure.”
The barn fire eventually burned itself out, though the fire crews from Swanage and Poole remained at the scene during the night.
Former Blackburn hotel suffers further fire damage
It has been reported this week that a former hotel in Blackburn has been badly damaged by fire for the second time in a year.
The Bear Hotel in Craven’s Brow, Lower Darwen, was expected to be turned into a care home before the first blaze in March 2010 and now its future is uncertain after this latest incident which was reported around 10pm on Sunday night.
Fire has torn through the building with flames said to have been seen coming from the roof and so the road was closed until the next day as firefighters fought to bring the risky situation under control.
The fire damaged the main part of the accommodation block.
An inquiry is now being carried out by the fire service and the police into what started this latest blaze.
Future plans for the former hotel have been put on hold for the time being.
If you are the owner of an establishment such as a hotel or guest house then it is imperative that you employ safety measures to ensure that your guests can remain safe while on your premises.
There are many things that you can do; from getting trained in fire safety to installing fire equipment, to comply with the current regulations.
Major road closed for 8 hours after lorry fire
A lorry carrying feathers used for duvets and clothing caught fire on the A14 near Huntingdon yesterday causing chaos to hundreds of motorists.
The major road in Cambridgeshire had to be closed for over 8 hours whilst emergency services dealt with the fire which is thought to have been caused by a ruptured fuel tank. A witness reported that the flames coming from the vehicle were about 20ft high.
The incident was attended by 27 firefighters from 5 crews. Nobody was injured in the incident.