Lockwood tip fire: Warning to residents to keep doors and windows shut

Residents in Lockwood are being warned to keep their doors and windows closed as a huge waste tip continues to smoulder.

The former Hunters Group site off Queens Mill Road in Lockwood has been burning since last Thursday night.

Firefighters had doused the fire but the blaze continues to burn deep inside. The tip burst into flames again early on Wednesday and fire crews returned once more.

Video credit: Sean Maddox

Fire crews are not based at the site permanently and return several times a day to keep a check on what’s happening.

The main priority for firefighters is to ensure the fire doesn’t spread to a neighbouring glass firm Novaglaze.

The site is being monitored by Kirklees Council, the Environment Agency and Public Health England.

The three organisations, along with West Yorkshire Fire Service, issued a joint statement insisting everything was being done to protect local residents and nearby businesses.

The statement says: “The Environment Agency, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue and Kirklees Council are continuing to work together.

“The fire has been reduced over the weekend using water from the river to extinguish the accessible surface fires, although some parts of the waste pile continue to smoulder because they are not accessible to firefighting equipment.

“The Environment Agency and the fire service continue to visit the site daily to monitor the situation closely. Environment Agency officers are checking for any impacts on the environment, and the fire service are ready to respond if the waste pile ignites again. Kirklees Council has secured the site to protect the public from accidental harm.

“Whilst the waste pile continues to burn, smoke and steam is being produced. People are asked to avoid the smoke wherever possible and if necessary keep windows and doors closed.

“Due to the water that has been used to fight the fire, there may be some contaminated water at the site. While water running off the waste pile is draining safely to a foul sewer, contact with any residual water on the site should be avoided as a precaution.

“The current permit holder is being pursued over their responsibilities regarding the clearance of the waste. Investigations are also continuing into the previous operators over past operations at the site. While these investigations are live, we cannot comment on them in detail for legal reasons.”

The site was previously run by the Hunter Group, run by Sam Hunter.

The Examiner understands the site has since changed hands and the new owner is said to be Sam H. Services.

A Kirklees Council spokesman said last week that the council was “taking action against the previous operators of the business and the owners of the site and have a court date in September regarding planning breaches at the site.”