SOMERSET NEWS: Fire breaks out at landfill site

FIREFIGHTERS were called out after a fire broke out at the Walpole Landfill Site on the edge of Bridgwater.

The alarm was raised this morning (Friday, August 19, 2016) at just after 7.30am at the site on Bristol Road.

Site staff rang 999 after they were unable to contain the fire with their own resources and one fire engine from Bridgwater was initially mobilised.

A further three fire engines were quickly called out from Bridgwater and Burnham-on-Sea along with a water carrier and an incident support unit.

The first firefighters on the scene – along with the assistance of site staff – created a fire break and smothering the area on fire with soil using the site’s mechanical diggers and dumper truck.

A Fire Service spokesman said: “Once the additional firefighters arrived the crews then started to expose the fire and got it under control by 9.30am.”

Around 10sq metres of landfill were affected and once the fire had been put out the firefighters checked the area for possible re-ignition before leaving duty of care with the staff.

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