Second Transport Avenue Fire in Under Two Months

Investigation promised as Brentford recycling plant hit by blaze again

Picture: London Fire Brigade

The recycling centre on Transport Avenue in Brentford was the scene of yet another fire this weekend (3/4 August).

Local residents were advised to close doors and windows as a low level plume of smoke was seen over the area.

Eight fire engines and around 60 firefighters battled through the night to contain the blaze. London Fire Brigade say that approximately 1000 tonnes of mixed household refuse was set alight.

The Brigade was called at 10.15pm and the fire was under control at 7.11am the following morning. Fire crews from Heston, Chiswick, Richmond and surrounding fire stations attended the scene.

It is the second blaze that has hit the facility in less than two months with another major fire occurring in late June once again after a spell of hot weather.

The West London Waste Authority has said that the hot weather played a factor in the blaze which they claim only affected 120 tonnes of waste which has now been sent to landfill rather than being recycled. The operations at the site were largely unaffected with recycling continuing as normal the following day according to the WLWA.

Suez operate the waste transfer facility on behalf of the WLWA and normally the mixed recyclables would be moved to another facility near Bristol for energy recovery. They say that the sprinkler system on the site operated correctly in both fires and they are investigating further the cause of the blaze.

Firefighters are making steady progress in getting the #Brentford recycling plant fire under control. Crews are expected to remain at the scene throughout the night https://t.co/zzR4q4vy4C © @kieranleach9 pic.twitter.com/2LZBsnAUm4

— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) August 3, 2018

August 9, 2018