Telford fire: Mayor welcomes progress on recycling plant blaze
Good progress is being made in tackling a major fire that has been burning for almost a month, according to the borough's mayor.
Fire crews from around Shropshire have been working in shifts around the clock to tackle any emerging hot spots in the mounds of rubbish, and a temporary traffic light system remains in place on Waterloo Road/Rock Road to allow the firefighters to work.
Smoke rising from the site can still be seen over the nearby M54.
Councillor Amrik Jhawar, who sits on Ketley Parish Council and is also currently serving as mayor of the borough of Telford & Wrekin, walks past the site almost every day and is grateful for the regular updates from the Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service – usually received on Thursdays.
He was encouraged by the most recent update, with confirmation that air quality tests from around the area have shown that risks to public health are low.
Reassured
And firefighters have made good progress in dismantling the large metal structure which housed much of the rubbish.
But, Councillor Jhawar said, the billowing smoke is not the first grumble nearby residents have had with the site.
Concerns have previously been raised relating to heavy goods traffic to and from the site using the narrow, winding Waterloo Road and Rock Road making it difficult at times for residents to navigate.
"This place has been controversial over the years," he said, "and people living in Ketley have had the worst of it with the traffic.
"It's not an ideal place for this situation – it's a built up area and it's got the S-bend [on Waterloo Road].
"The fire is still there now but they are cleaning the rubbish away, that is good to see."
Although the health risks from the smoke are minimal, residents are advised to keep their doors and windows shut as it is an irritant.
