Town Centre Closed Due to Toxic Tyres Blaze Threat
By Oliver Hall
A town centre was closed yesterday as firefighters battled a major blaze of 400,000 old tyres.
The main road through Warsop was shut off and residents had been temporarily evacuated from their home late on Friday evening as the acrid smoke billowed across the skyline.
Locals were also warned to keep their windows and doors shut throughout Saturday to avoid the potentially toxic smoke.
The fire broke out at a tyre recycling firm – formerly Warsop Rubber Company and now Robin Hood Environmental – next to the Nottinghamshire County Council/Veolia recycling centre.
Notts Fire and Rescue Service had to lay a huge pipe across the main A60 road, streets and many residents’ driveways so they could pump high volumes of water on to the blazing tyres.
This meant the road to the town centre was closed yesterday and is expected to remain out of use today.
The fire service is being advised by the Met Office, the district environmental health department and police over any potential changes in wind direction, which could cause a danger to nearby residents.
Fire station manager Nick Ward added that it was too soon to speculate as to the cause of the blaze and said he did not think fire investigators would be able to get to the seat of the fire until into next week.
One resident told reporters that he had seen three youths running away from the scene shortly before the fire started and had reported this to police.
Number: Z8037079
Reg: NKF419
