Suez waste transfer station in North Tyneside hit by fire

The incident was first reported at 7:56am this morning (26 August 2026) and caused the closure of the site.

The fire has subsequently been extinguished and operations at the site have resumed.

A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “All employees on site had been evacuated from the building prior to the crews’ arrival. Firefighters left the scene at 8.52am.”

In a Facebook post, North Tyneside Council confirmed that the site had reopened and that those who had missed appointments could attend the site with their original permit in the coming days.

The post said: “If you had an appointment this morning that you weren’t able to make, don’t worry about getting an updated permit.

“Just come along with your existing permit at a time that suits you either today, or over the next few days.”

The last few weeks have seen fires rage across the sector, with a major fire in London causing train cancellations and a “protracted” response from the London Fire Brigade.

Last month, Suez’s Avonmouth Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) was hit by a significant fire which burned for at least nine hours.

Avon Fire and Rescue confirmed that all personnel at the site were safely evacuated and there are currently no reported injuries.

While none of these fires have had their causes confirmed, the industry has faced a major increase in battery-related fires in recent years.

Batteries – including those in vapes and other items – present a severe fire risk when they are crushed or otherwise improperly managed and should be disposed of via specialist battery bins, which can be found in supermarkets.

Material Focus reported that more than 1,200 battery-related fires broke out in refuse vehicles and waste facilities during 2023/24 – a 71% increase on the previous year.

Last year, the Environmental Services Association (ESA) described the problem as “epidemic”.