Fire at Welsh plant to last ‘a few days’

The fire service was called to the scene of the blaze, which is at the Waterston Industrial Estate near Milford Haven, at approximately 2pm yesterday (14 August). The incident remains ongoing.

Dyfed-Powys Police say the fire destroyed a “large storage unit” before spreading to an adjacent recycling centre.

The fire service has approximately 100 staff on scene, alongside 14 fire engines, specialist assets including a drone and tactical officers tackling the blaze.

Crews are working to extinguish the fire at both locations, from which “significant” smoke is billowing.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) also attended the scene, and the police say they are working with the environmental regulator, Welsh Ambulance Service Trust, Pembrokeshire county council and local contractors, “to establish a plan to extinguish the fire in the next few days.”

‘Challenging conditions’

Chief fire officer Roger Thomas, who attended the scene, said: “Crews have worked extremely hard tackling the fire in hot and challenging conditions to mitigate against the effects to the environment and from a public health perspective.

Crews have worked extremely hard tackling the fire in hot and challenging conditions

• Chief fire officer Roger Thomas

“Crews are also attending a large grass fire in Newgale, meaning approximately 20 appliances have been in attendance in the area tackling fires. This has placed a great deal of strain on our local resources.”

Residents in the Johnston, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock and Neyland areas have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed.

No-one has been injured and there are no reported “adverse effects” nor concerns for any nearby dwellings, the police say, so evacuations are not being considered.

However, the B4325 road is closed, so the police asked the public to avoid the area.

Partners

Huwel Manley, duty tactical manager for NRW, told letsrecycle.com: “Our officers are working to support partners and emergency services following a large fire that broke out yesterday afternoon at Waterston Industrial Estate, Pembrokeshire.

“Officers are returning to site this morning to continue to provide advice and help minimise the risk to the environment and local communities and assist with air quality monitoring.”

Pembrokeshire

Enviroventure provides waste collection, treatment, recycling and disposal services to local and national customers in the industrial, commercial and municipal sectors across Pembrokeshire.

On its website, the company’s advertised services include skip hire, rear end loaders, cesspit and septic tank emptying, roll on roll off bins and hazardous waste disposal.

Enviroventure declined to comment on the fire when contacted by letsrecycle.com.