Rugeley farm fire: See how the blaze that's burned for WEEKS looks from above
This picture shows a bird eye's view of the swathe of smoke from the ongoing fire which has plagued Cannock Chase residents.
The blaze, which took hold in a pile of up to 1,000 tonnes of waste at Oak Tree Farm, Rugeley, has sent a burning stench for at least four miles.
Fire investigators and environment experts previously confirmed potentially deadly asbestos was found in cement boarding on the fire, which is largely made up of wood chippings.
Earlier this week the Express & Star revealed that smoke and toxins could have stretched to as far as Hednesford, about four miles from the farm.
Despite Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service announcing soil would be used to cap the fire from Wednesday, the smoke is still causing havoc, according to a Rugeley resident.
Steve Edkins, who lives on Wells Close, said yesterday: "It's still going, blowing across the fields. It is a disgrace. I am going to wash my car and walk the dog and I know within 20 minutes I will have a sore throat."
Mr Edkins described the impact the blaze is having on his home.
He said: "I have a white house and the door is black with soot. I washed it the other week and it looks terrible. It smells in my downstairs loo because the smoke goes through the extractor."
On Monday, over 100 residents packed into a public meeting in Rugeley over the impact and control of the fire, which started on September 5. Public Health England has reassured people there is no potential for long term risk to their health.
But one woman living near the farm said she had to go to hospital two days after the fire started because she suffered an asthma attack.
Cannock Chase MP Amanda Milling said she was 'overwhelmed' by the scale of the blaze firefighters are still faced with tackling.
The fire service said work to cap the fire with soil could take up to four days to complete.
It said that action was preferable because turning over burning waste could put firefighters at risk. Soil will not extinguish the fire but reduce the amount of smoke bellowing from the site.
