Blaze From 15,000 Tonnes of Tyres Visible From Space

A 6,000-ft plume of black smoke from a recycling-plant fire in Yorkshire is so huge it can be seen from space via a NASA satellite.

Around 15,000 tonnes of tyres went up in smoke at the tyre recycling plant in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire, last Thursday. The blaze blanketed the surrounding area, including the city of York, in black smoke and ash, and was visible from much of northern England. Flights at a nearby airfield were grounded.

The cause has not yet been determined.

Firefighting
More than 70 firefighters and 14 fire engines attended the fire. It’s been speculated they may need to be on site for up to a week. North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) said it was allowing the fire to burn out under supervision while working to contain it, using water curtains and water from a nearby pond via a high volume pump.

Pollution
The chemicals from the smoke and ash from burning rubber can irritate the lungs, skin, and eyes, and the fire service advised nearby residents to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut. Burning rubber also causes an extremely unpleasant smell.

According to the Yorkshire Post, the Environment Agency (EA), has discovered a thin film of oil on a watercourse to the north of the site of the fire and is considering using booms or damming off the surface water outflow to limit the impact of pollution. It added that there are no drinking water abstractions downstream of the affected watercourse.

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2013: A Bad Year for Recycling Plant Fires

The Yorkshire recycling plant fire is yet another in a long string of such fires. IFSEC Global reported last summer on the large number of fires at recycling plants.

The sheer amount of waste stored in these plants waiting to be recycled makes them a target for large blazes that throw out intense heat and smoke, take days or even weeks to be extinguished, and pose a danger to local residents, the fire service, and nearby infrastructure.

Putting water on the top of these fires only makes them smoke more and produces a large amount of sludge, while the fires continue to smoulder underneath.

Since then, the EA, in conjunction with the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), has issued guidance for operators of waste sites on reducing the risk of fires at waste plants.

The guidance recommends that site operators:

• Keep sources of ignition at least six metres away from stacks of combustible material
• Space out stacks at 20 metre intervals
• Introduce regular maintenance and inspection programmes
• Set a six-month limit on how long wood and other flammable materials can be stockpiled

The FIREX Academy at FIREX International will provide a forum for industry professionals to learn about the latest developments and identify solutions that can be implemented to prevent fire breaking out and spreading.

Registration for FIREX International is open, for your badge visit: www.firex.co.uk/global.