The Hollingdean waste depot set ablaze last Sunday night under mysterious circumstances. 10 fire engines were sent to the scene, and fire crews tackled the flames for over 12 hours.
Significant damage was made to the building, with no one thought to be hurt as a result of the fire. Waste is now being deposited at other sites such as Hove and Newhaven.
Nearby residents reported a strong smell of burning rubber and plastic during the blaze, whilst others said they were concerned about potential evacuations, or even an explosion.
Yesterday, Brighton & Hove City Council stated that it would like to reassure residents that an ongoing investigation into the fire’s cause is underway.
Tom Walby, the incident commander for East Sussex Fire & Rescue Service on the night of the fire, has revealed the likely cause of the fire:
With all the rubbish within the premises completely destroyed by the fire, it is very difficult to establish a definitive cause.
After consultation with the workers on site, the most likely cause will be due to a disposable barbecue being thrown away in a communal domestic waste bin.
If these barbecues are not completely cold when thrown away, they can easily ignite other rubbish within the bin and the larger pile when the bin is emptied in the waste transfer station.
Walby also said:
Smoke from any fire will contain items that could cause irritation and affect breathing, especially in the elderly, those with COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma or other respiratory illnesses.
If anybody still feels that their breathing has been affected they should speak to their medical practitioner.
The City Council have published PHE advice for those concerned about the effects of smoke.
Public Health England advice:
- Some of the substances present in smoke can irritate the lining of the nose, eyes, throat and lungs, and may cause symptoms such as coughing, feeling short of breath, chest pain, runny nose and eyes. In most cases these are short term.
- If symptoms persist, seek medical advice call NHS 111. In the case of an emergency call 999.
- If you already seeing a health care practitioner about a long term health condition, such as lung or heart conditions, discuss your concerns with them.
Featured Image: Brighton Fire Crews. Flickr © Tony Hisgett. Photograph not taken on the night of the Hollingdean waste depot fire.
