Date: July 26, 2018
Location: Caythorpe, Lincolnshire (UK)
Address: Station Road, NG32 3EW
Type: Dust Fire
Fuel: Wood Dust
Industry: Recycling (Natural Resources)
Equipment: Paper Shredder
Company: Mid UK Recycling
Database Incidents: None Recorded
Loss: No Injuries
Capital Cost: Unknown
Status: Open
Confirmation: Unconfirmedƒ
Company Description:
According to the company website, Mid UK Recycling is an independent company that offers dumpster rental and waste management services in the East Midlands region of the UK. It also provides composting, materials recovery, and recycling facilities that handle asbestos disposal, paper, cardboard & plastics recycling, confidential destruction services, and agricultural waste recycling.
Description of Wood Dust Fire:
On July 26, 2018, local news resource Lincolnshire Live reported an early morning fire at a recycling plant in Caythorpe, a village in the Lincolnshire region of the UK.
Seven fire crews were called to deal with the blaze, which was caused by an overheated shredding machine. A spokesman from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said that the fire also involved a conveyor belt and surrounding wood chippings. According to the Grantham Journal, jets, hose reels, high volume pumps and supporting appliances were used to put out the flames.
Local residents, who had been sleeping with their windows open due to the summer heat, were awoken by smoke drifting into their bedrooms. One woman reported that she woke up at 2:15 a.m. by smoke so thick she was unable to breathe. Despite the heat, people living near the area were warned to keep windows and doors closed.
Crews left the scene at 6:00 a.m. after extinguishing the fire. There were no reported injuries and the amount of property damage is unknown.
Previous Incidents
There have multiple prior incidents at Mid UK Recycling’s Caythorpe location. On May 7, 2008, Let’s Recycle reported a major fire that broke out in a single storey steel building measuring 50 by 30 metres. A huge quantity of paper, plastics and cardboard were destroyed along with three conveyor belts, baling machines and a loader. Workers at a nearby adventure camp reported seeing a “huge mushroom cloud of smoke billowing into the sky” and residents were asked by police to close their windows to help keep smoke and fumes out.
On October 18, 2012, the BBC reported an early morning fire in one of the company buildings. A Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue representative said that the building contained mixed recycling material and was extensively damaged. Those living in the immediate area were advised to keep their doors and windows closed in case of fumes and nearby Caythorpe Heath Lane was closed for hours.
On June 28, 2017, the local news portal Sleaford Standard reported another fire at the Caythorpe site, this one comparatively minor. A later inspection revealed that the smouldering started due to radiated heat from waste packed tightly together.
Mid UK Recycling has experienced fire outbreaks at its other locations. According to Lets Recycle, on July 7, 2015, a fire broke out at the company’s recycling facility at Barkston Heath, Ancaster,. The cause identified as spontaneous combustion due to the long period of storage, the quantity and the nature of the waste. In June 2018 the company was fined £100,000 with fees of £50,000 for breach of an environmental permit
Sources:
Lincolnshire Live
Grantham Journal
BBC
Sleaford Standard
Let’s Recycle
Lets Recycle
