Warning to neighbours as fire crews tackle large waste blaze

NEARBY residents and businesses are being urged to keep their doors and windows closed as around 30 firefighters battle a large blaze at a Marchwood waste disposal centre.

The alarm was raised around 8.45am today, with reports flames were engulfing a large pile of rubbish at the Marchwood Waste Transfer Station, off Bury Road.

Crews from Beaulieu, Redbridge, St Mary’s and Eastleigh have been at the scene since then working to contain the emergency.

A warning to the public was posted on Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Twitter account shortly after 9.30am.

It was announced in a further tweet shortly before 10am that the incident had been brought under control.

Speaking from the site, Hampshire Fire and Rescue station manager Rob Jenks told the A&T: “I am quite happy that it is contained. There is no risk of it spreading to any buildings or risk to life.

“However, residents are urged to keep their windows closed and avoid the smoke plume if possible.”

Mr Jenks said the cause of the blaze was not yet known, but added crews would remain on-site turning over the piles of household waste and damping down for the next few hours.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council, which owns the site, said later: “I can confirm that there was a fire at the Marchwood transfer station which was identified at around 9.20am this morning.

"The transfer station was evacuated and Hampshire Fire and Rescue attended the site. As a precaution the adjacent Marchwood Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) was also evacuated.

"Residents were able to use the nearby alternative HWRCs at City Depot in Southampton and Efford at Lymington. I’m pleased to confirm the Marchwood HWRC reopened at 1.15pm today.”