Fire at former GKN factory classed as arson

A fire at a former GKN factory in Staffordshire was arson preliminary investigations have concluded.

The fire caused serious damage to the former GKN site at Crossfield Industrial Estate in Lichfield.

At its height on Tuesday more than 60 firefighters were involved in tackling the blaze.

The fire involved around 5,000 tonnes of waste which was being stored in one of the site’s units, although the investigation has concluded only around 10% of the materials was ablaze.

Fire Station officer Bob Preston said: “It is extremely concerning that this fire was caused deliberately and we will be working closely with Staffordshire Police as they carry out their investigations.

“These fires take up considerable time and resources. If so many of our firefighters are at these incidents they are not available to respond to other emergencies.

“It is also very disappointing to see another large fire involving illegal waste in Staffordshire. This is the fourth incident of its type in the last 12 months.”

The fire service had already visited and risk assessed the site and due to this a plan was already inplace for dealing with such an incident.

“We were able to put our robust multi-agency plans into action and limit the scale and impact the fire had on the surrounding community and transport network,” added Mr Preston.

Firecrews have spent the past few days damping down after the incident and people at nearby homes were advised to keep their windows closed to avoid fumes from the incident.