Major fire impacts Oldbury recycling facility

HUNDREDS of tons of waste plastic and cardboard fuelled a major fire at a recycling plant in the Black Country overnight.

Around 70 firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze, which broke out at the Weir Waste facility in Trinity Street, Oldbury around 10.30pm.

The cause of the blaze is not known.

Fire crews from Oldbury, Smethwick, West Bromwich, Dudley and Halesowen were drafted in to deal with the incident and a total of 10 pumps and two hydraulic platforms were needed to douse the flames.

Water was pumped from nearby canals to maintain a constant flow and the blaze was brought under control earlier this morning. A damage assessment is due to be carried out.

Fire crews are still damping down the site this morning and there was an eerie haze over the town from the lingering smoke. However, no traffic delays were reported as a result.

Residents in the area were told the smoke was not toxic but advised to keep their windows closed.

The recycling facility, operated by Weir Waste Services, is part of one of the largest automated waste recovery facilities in the UK, processing around 25 tonnes of rubbish per hour.

The multi-million-pound facility, which opened in 2013, is part of Weir’s long term growth strategy to maximise the recovery of recyclables from waste.