Fire at Elstow Waste Transfer Station has been extinguished

A fire at Elstow Waste Transfer Station has been extinguished safely following a complex multi-agency response operation.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service has been at the scene since Friday (4 July) evening and today (Thursday 10 July) has confirmed the fire is out after the systematic deconstruction of the building housing the fire enabled firefighters safe access.

A number of contractors will remain onsite as the deconstruction of the building continues. This may result in dust being seen from the site. Residents nearby are now able to open their windows and doors and spend time outside as there is no longer any smoke coming from the site.

Group Commander Steve Sugars said: “Waste fires are inherently challenging incidents, and we have worked tirelessly as a team of different agencies to bring this fire to a safe conclusion as quickly as we could in light of the circumstances.

“Working to extinguish the fire while keeping our crews safe has been paramount throughout this incident. We know this has, at times, been unpleasant with smoke in the area, and we would like to thank local residents for their understanding and cooperation.”

The fire involved a large quantity of mixed recyclable household waste material, which was confirmed by the site as non-hazardous. The building in which the fire started was declared unsafe by a structural engineer, which meant on-site workers and crews were unable to enter it to put the fire out. Instead, the building was being systematically deconstructed to create a safe working environment for crews to extinguish the fire.

This multi-agency incident has involved partners including Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council, Bedfordshire Police, UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA), the Environment Agency and wider health partners.