Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) was called to the site during the early hours of the morning following reports of a fire involving stored recyclable materials.
Firefighters from across Wales attended the incident, with crews remaining on site throughout the day. The response was one of two major fires being tackled in the Port Talbot area.
In a social media update, MAWWFRS said: “Several Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews are currently responding to separate incidents at Neath Abbey Wharf and Tata Steel, Port Talbot.
“Please avoid the areas and find alternative routes for your journey.”
Crews reportedly left the Neath Abbey Wharf site at around 5.30pm.
Fire at Tata Steel
The recycling facility fire came as emergency services were also dealing with a major fire at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot works.
Firefighters from across south Wales and England were called to the steelworks at approximately 8pm on Wednesday evening, with crews working through the night to tackle the blaze.
At the time of the incident, Tata Steel said: “Mid and West Wales Fire Service attended the Port Talbot site last night at around 8pm to deal with a fire at one of the site’s processing lines. All personnel were accounted for and evacuated from the area safely.”
In an update issued on Thursday afternoon, Tata Steel confirmed: “During the incident, the Hot Strip Mill was temporarily taken offline. Teams are working towards a planned restart in the middle of next week.
“Our Supply Chain teams are actively implementing mitigation plans, including alternative processing at the Llanwern Cold Mill and Pickle Line.
“These actions are focused on maintaining continuity of supply and supporting our customers during this period.
“Our priority remains the safety of our people and the safe, stable operation of our assets. We will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.
“We would like to thank our employees and the emergency services for their swift and professional response.”
The cause of both incidents has not yet been announced.
Second at Port Talbot recycling sites
A large fire involving hundreds of tonnes of waste at a recycling site in Port Talbot occurred last month.
Emergency services were called to the blaze at AWD Group’s yard on Dock Road yesterday (30 April 2026), where approximately 200 tonnes of commercial waste caught fire, prompting a multi-agency response.
According to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, crews from across the region – including Port Talbot, Neath, Swansea and Llanelli – worked alongside colleagues from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to tackle the incident.
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