Huge blaze tears through mountain of rubbish at plant

A blaze today ripped through mounds of rubbish at a waste plant, sending plumes of black smoke billowing hundreds of feet in the air.

Dozens of firefighters were today tackling the flames at Oakham Environmental in Kingswinford.

Ten fire engines were called to the scene, in Oak Lane, after the fire broke out at around 6am, sending flames sweeping through a 1,500ft wide mound of general household waste waiting to be recycled. The fire was spotted by a passer-by.

Neil Johnson, station commander at Kings Norton, said the fire involved a quarter of the 16,000sq ft of recycling waste at the site. Around 45 fighters were called to tackle the fire at its height with the help of staff from Oakham, who were using a digger to move waste so the firefighters could gain access.

It is the third big blaze to break out at the site in the past two years.

No-one from the firm was available to comment today.