Fire at scrap metal recycling plant - Snailwell - East Cambs
20 August 2008, 9.50pm
About 50 firefighters have been tackling a blaze at a scrap metal recycling plant in Snailwell in East Cambs last night.
They were called at 9.50pm to a report of a pile of scrap metal, wood and tyres on fire.
Two crews from Newmarket, two crews from Soham, one crew from Burwell, one crew from Mildenhall, one crew from Swaffham Bulbeck and one crew from Ely were in attendance, with the water carriers from Yaxley and Newmarket. The operational support unit and incident command unit were also in attendance.
The pile of scrap metal, wood and tyres measured approximately 150m by 50m and weighed about 30 to 40 tonnues. It was well alight.
Crews used water curtains to prevent the fire from spreading and made a break in the pile of metal.
The stop message came in at about 4.15am this morning to say the fire was under control.
Crews have now scaled down, although the fire is still burning in a controlled manner and will continue to do so until for some time.
Two fire engines and a water carrier remain at the scene now.
The cause has not yet been established. This will happen once a fire investigation has taken place.
There is a plume of smoke coming from the site. If this is affecting any residents they are asked to keep windows and doors closed.
Update, 11.45am
One crew from Ely still remains at the scene.
Further efforts have been made this morning to break up the pile of metal, wood and tyres into smaller piles so they are easier to extinguish.
Bruce Parcell, Station Manager for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "This was a very large fire comprising of large chunks of metal, wood and tyres.
"Because of the size of the fire and the objects involved, efforts to extinguish the fire using a high quantity of water would have been fruitless as the water would run off and the fire would still be smouldering underneath. For this reason we had to start breaking up the pile shortly after we attended last night, a process which we have continued throughout this morning. This has given us smaller sections which are easier to extinguish. This has been exhausting work and I would like to thank the crews and also the workers at the plant for their efforts.
"It is expected that the fire will be burning for the next couple of days. A fire investigation will begin once the fire is out.
"The amount of smoke being generated from the fire is much less than it was last night, however, we are continuing to ask residents who are affected to keep windows and doors closed."
