It started at around midday on Tuesday (14 August), involving about “600-700 tonnes of recycling paper and plastic” in two separate warehouses on site, according to Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.
One of the buildings is approximately 45 metres by 25 metres and around 19 metres tall, the Fire Service reported. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
‘Paper shed’
In a statement, the Fire Service said: “Firefighters have been called to a fire at a recycling plant in North Road, Ellesmere Port. Smoke was seen coming from the paper shed at the site. The premises have been evacuated and five pumps and an aerial platform have been called to the scene.”
Around nine fire engines have been on scene and an aerial platform. A police helicopter has been in attendance assisting firefighters with an aerial inspection of the site.
In a later statement, Cheshire Fire and Rescue said that firefighters remained in attendance, with crews using water from the Manchester Ship Canal to tackle the fire. “The team are also starting to spread out the waste as they extinguish the fire to ensure that it does not reignite,” it said.
Yesterday, the Environment Agency said the fire could take up to five days to extinguish.
Environment Agency
“Our Environmental Officers are on site to collect evidence and monitor water run-off,” an Environment Agency spokesperson said.
“We thank Cheshire Fire and Rescue for their prompt response and continued hard work to keep the fire under control. “
Residents in the local have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed.
Glass recycler Recresco, operates a glass sorting plant at the Ellesmere Port site. The company also processes cans, plastic and cartons on site.
When contacted by letsrecycle.com, Recresco was unavailable for comment.
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