Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service was first called at around 1.30pm to AWO Recycling Ltd’s site off Biggin Lane in Ramsey Heights, Huntington, where “multiple compost heaps were well alight within close proximity to an office building on the site”.
Firefighters from Stanground, Whittlesey, Ramsey, Sawtry and Huntingdon originally attended the scene yesterday, although just one crew remains to monitor the situation, protect machinery and stop the spread of the fire.
Water has been pumped from a nearby lake to tackle the flames, although the fire service said that strong winds had made efforts to tackle the fire more difficult.
Nearby farms were also evacuated “for the comfort of those living in them”, although the blaze is not thought to pose a threat to public health.
The fire service said having contained the fire, one crew from Chatteris remains on site to monitor the situation and is regularly meeting with the landowners to discuss how to resolve the incident.
According to the fire service: “There continues to be smoke, which is dissipating by the time it reaches settlements. Any residents who do feel they are affected by the smoke are advised to continue to keep windows and doors closed.”
AWO Recycling Ltd
The blaze is thought to have started at around 1pm at the 25,000 tonnes per year capacity open-windrow composting site at Bury Lane Farm in Ramsey Heights, Huntingdon.
Company director Thomas Bedford told letsrecycle.com that he hoped he would be able to re-open the site to customers in around two weeks or so, but that it was too early to predict a specific timetable.
Mr Bedford said: “I would like to think it would be less than two weeks but it depends how it goes and what the fire services say. The weather will be a major issue – we could do with some rain, but it is set to be quite hot this week.
“The fire services have been fantastic and got things under control. It hasn’t affected any of our machinery at all – just the compost – so there are no toxic fumes or anything like that.”
He said that he first became aware of the fire at around 1pm on Sunday (April 12) and that “within half an hour it had taken hold”, with the combustion of material likely fanned by high winds.
Customers of AWO Reycling Ltd include the likes of AmeyCespa, Countrystyle, Shanks and Viridor. The company employs three directors and three operational staff at the site.
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