Ten Fire Engines Sent to Blaze Involving 500 Tonnes of Recycling Waste
A major fire has broken out at a recycling and industrial site in Corby, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky above the town and prompting a large emergency-service response.
Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service was called to Gretton Brook Road on the Earlstrees Industrial Estate shortly before 2pm on Monday, 10 August. The fire is understood to involve approximately 500 tonnes of mixed recycling waste.
At least ten fire engines have been sent to the scene, together with specialist vehicles and two aerial appliances as firefighters attempt to bring the substantial blaze under control.
Northamptonshire Police are also assisting the operation, with road closures imposed around the affected part of the industrial estate. People have been asked to avoid the area while emergency crews continue their work.
Explosion Reported as Smoke Rises Above Corby
Witnesses in the area have reported hearing what was described as a large explosion around the time of the fire, although the precise circumstances surrounding that sound have not yet been established.
Thick smoke has subsequently risen high above the industrial estate and has been visible from considerable distances around Corby and the surrounding Northamptonshire countryside.
Residents living near the incident have been advised to keep windows and doors closed as a precaution because of the amount of smoke being produced by the burning material.
The scale of the emergency response reflects the considerable quantity of recycling waste involved. Fires involving large quantities of compacted or mixed waste can prove particularly difficult to extinguish because flames and intense heat can penetrate deep into piles of material, creating hotspots that may continue burning for considerable periods.
Cause of Fire Not Yet Known
At this stage there has been no official announcement about what caused the fire, and it would be premature to link the incident to the explosion reported by witnesses until investigators have established precisely what happened.
There has also been no official confirmation so far of any injuries.
The emergency operation remains ongoing and the immediate priority is containing the blaze, protecting neighbouring industrial premises and keeping members of the public away from the affected area.
Once conditions allow, fire investigators are expected to examine the scene in an attempt to establish where the fire began and its most likely cause.
Recycling Fires Present Particular Challenge
The incident comes amid increasing concern within Britain’s waste and recycling industry about serious fires at processing and storage facilities.
Large quantities of paper, plastics, packaging, wood and other combustible materials can provide substantial fuel once a fire becomes established. Lithium-ion batteries incorrectly discarded in household and commercial waste have also become a growing national problem for the recycling industry.
Industry organisations have repeatedly warned about battery fires at recycling and waste-processing facilities. However, there is currently no evidence that a battery was responsible for the Corby fire, and the cause of Monday’s blaze remains unknown.
Previous Fire on Gretton Brook Road
The area has experienced a serious recycling fire before. In July 2015 firefighters were called to a major blaze at a materials recycling facility on Gretton Brook Road, involving plastic, paper and cardboard. Around ten crews from several counties were involved in tackling that incident.
Today’s fire is a separate incident more than a decade later, but once again demonstrates the challenges firefighters face when dealing with large quantities of combustible waste stored at industrial recycling facilities.
Emergency Operation Continues
Firefighters were continuing to tackle Monday’s blaze as smoke remained visible above the Earlstrees Industrial Estate.
Police have been supporting the operation by controlling access and closing roads where necessary, while people living and working nearby have been urged to keep away from the immediate area and to keep doors and windows closed where smoke is present.
With approximately 500 tonnes of recycling material reported to be involved, crews could remain at the scene for some time even after the main flames have been brought under control, as waste may need to be moved and separated to expose hidden pockets of fire.
The cause of the blaze, the extent of damage to the industrial premises and the identity of the business directly affected have yet to be officially confirmed.
Further information is expected from Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service as the incident develops.
