A CHEMICAL factory that was rocked by a massive blaze has been ordered to improve.
Grosvenor Chemicals suffered major damage when fire ripped through its premises off Manchester Road, Linthwaite, on May 24 last year.
An inquiry by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) failed to establish the exact cause of the inferno after key evidence disappeared from the site and no court action was taken against the firm.
But now the Environment Agency has confirmed it has issued three ‘Improvement Notices’ against the Linthwaite-based company.
It is an offence not to comply with the notices.
The notices, to improve drainage and the storage of materials, come as a local residents’ campaign group called on Kirklees Council to take action against the firm.
Speaking at the full council meeting at Huddersfield Town Hall on Wednesday, members of the Colne Valley Residents’ Action Group claimed there were still numerous problems with the site.
A spokeswoman for the group told councillors that they were concerned about the access roads and the security.
She said the lives of residents who lived on the access road were put at risk on a daily basis by lorries loaded with chemicals making difficult manoeuvres on poor roads.
And she also described the site as “the antithesis of secure” and said local people could freely wander on to the premises unchallenged.
Colne Valley councillor David Ridgway said during a second smaller fire at the premises, firefighters had been left waiting at the gates for 10 minutes as there was no security guard present.
But the Liberal Democrat said Grosvenor Chemical bosses could now “hide behind their skirts even more” as the site had since been downgraded and was no longer handling the most dangerous chemicals.
He added: “If this company complied in the manner the protective agencies required, then no-one would have any concerns about its operations in the valley bottom.
“But because there’s been a consistent record of non-compliance, obviously a lot of residents are complaining.”
The Grosvenor Chemicals blaze was the first and only time Kirklees Council has had to run its emergency procedures.
Responding to a deputation by residents, Kirklees cabinet member, Clr Peter McBride, said: “Since that accident we the council, the HSE, the Environment Agency and the police have taken action to ensure there is a proper health and safety policy and a control mechanism.
“I agree there wasn’t at the time of the fire and we are determined that there shall be one.
“The danger wasn’t only to the people of Linthwaite and the Colne Valley – the danger was dangerous smoke coming to the whole ofHuddersfield. One has got to congratulate our emergency arrangements for resolving the problem under the circumstances.
“We accept local management haven’t really addressed these issues properly so we’ve gone to the holding company to remind them of their responsibilities and to tell them we will take all enforcement action necessary to ensure they comply with all the conditions of their operation.”
