Huge blaze at Kidderminster recycling plant
[gallery] A fierce blaze ripped through a recycling plant in Kidderminster, sending a tower of black smoke billowing into the sky which was visible for more than 20 miles around.
Almost 100 firefighters were called to battle the blaze at Lawrence Recycling in Stourport Road, which began at 5.20pm last night.
It comes just six months after another big blaze at the site.
The fire is now under control, but hundreds of tonnes of packed cardboard and plastic continue to burn within three bays at the plant, with 35 firefighters still at the site today.
More than a mile of Stourport Road, where the recycling plant is based, was cordoned off, from Goldthorn Road to the Wyre Forest District Council building on Finepoint Way from around 5.20pm yesterday to around 5.30am today.
No-one was at the recycling plant when the fire started apart from the site's security team, which called the fire service and firm managing director David Lawrence.
Police describe the cause of the fire as 'unexplained' and are warning residents to keep doors and windows closed to protect them from fumes. An investigation into the fire will continue today alongside work to stop the blaze spreading.
The fire service is working with the Environment Agency to assess the smoke plume. Firefighters say they will be at the site for most of this week.
Following the outbreak of the fire last night, the landlord of the Loom and Shuttle pub, Stourport Road, was told to close his venue at 8pm by police.
It meant 100 customers there for Father's Day had to leave early. Mr Heighway, aged 35, said: "It caused us a bit of grief. Thankfully nobody was eating because we had finished our food service."
Nearby residents have raised calls for the plant to close.
The plant suffered a similar-sized blaze in December which shut it down for a month.
David Buckley, a carer living in nearby Walter Nash Road, meanwhile said: "They ought to close down the recycling plant – this is the second time in six months.
"It's just ridiculous." There was also anger last night from motorists at the police decision to close Stourport Road up to Goldthorn Hill – far away from the flames – but set the other end of the cordon at Finepoint Way, closer to the fire.
Paul Buckley said: "I had to park my lorry in another estate in the end.
"The road closure should have been further up Stourport Road."
