Tockwith's explosive morning
By Ron Miller
VILLAGERS in Tockwith were woken by explosions on Wednesday as a huge blaze ripped through a chemical plant.
Police toured the village during the early hours, warning residents to stay indoors, close their windows and keep them close as fire swept through the chemical storage and recycling plant operated by BCB Environmental Services at the nearby Marston Business Park.
BCB is the company behind the controversial plan to build a waste incinerator on the same site.
The blaze sent a menacing pall of black smoke hundreds of feet into the sky, prompting fears for the health and well-being of people whose homes lay beneath its path. There were reports that the smoke, which people feared could be toxic, could be seen as far away as Driffield.
Dozens of residents called 999 after a series of minor explosions just after 4am woke most of the village.
North Yorkshire Fire Service initially sent two appliances but these were quickly reinforced when it was realised just how big the blaze had become.
Fourteen teams of fire fighters were eventually sent to the scene, with appliances including a water bowser and an aerial platform.
Intially they fought the blaze with foam, having been unable to find out precisely what chemicals were inside the 100 metre long, 50 metre wide building.
Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water specialists were called to the scene to assist the fire service and police in managing what the fire service described as ‘a major hazardous fire.’
“I was concerned about my family’s safety,” said Stuart McHenery, an IT manager who lives in Prince Rupert Drive, Tockwith with his wife and two children.
He added: “We were hearing minor explosions every few seconds. They sounded like gunfire; we could have been in Afghanistan.
“Our bedroom window faces the plant and we were woken up by the sound of explosions, which we put down to chemical canisters bursting under pressure. It was clearly a major fire. Orange flames were bursting out of the side of the building along with thick smoke.
“The smell was terrible. A bit like burning tyres but more metallic. Thank goodness the kids are on holiday as the thick black smoke cloud went right over their school.”
Mark Algar, a member of Tockwith Residents’ Association, whose home in Prince Rupert Drive is only 700 metres from the chemical plant, told the Wetherby News: “This type of incident has always been the main concern of residents. It is the third and by far the most serious fire at this plant in the past two years and we hope it serves as a warning to the authorities.”
Another Tockwith resident, Edwin Ison, said: “My car was covered in ash yet we live half a mile away from the plant. The smoke was pitch black; we couldn’t see the sky it was so thick.”
BCB Environmental Management, a Harrogate-based company, has for months been at the centre of local controversy over its bid to gain planning approval to build and operate a waste incinerator on the same site as the building which caught fire on Wednesday.
The company proposed to generate electricity from waste with a 24m scheme.
Their revised plan was rejected by North Yorkshire County Council in December.
The company said it would probably appeal but did not do so within the permitted six month period, prompting Tockwith residents to hope the threat of the incinerator had been lifted.
They have also been encouraged by BCB putting up for sale another building on the site, which would have been demolished if the incinerator plan had been approved.
“Residents hope this serious incident will bring the threat of the incinerator to an end, once and for all,” said Mr Algar.
Fire investigators were expected to inspect the site on Thursday morning in an attempt to establish the cause of the blaze.
BCB Environmental Management’s managing director, Phil Boardman, said: “It is too early to know what caused this fire, but we are currently co-operating with the fire and rescue service and will work closely with them and the Environment Agency in any subsequent investigation.
“Once the cause of the fire has been identified, we will assess what remedial action may be needed to ensure that all further risk of fire is minimised.”
A company spokesman stressed that less than three per cent of the waste that is handled at the Tockwith facility is hazardous.
However, BCB Environmental Management was fined 40,000 in April for failing to safeguard flammable liquid that was used in an arson attack on the business.
The company pleaded guilty at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court to breaching two health and safety regulations and was also told to pay 6,100 costs after admitting to illegally processing drums of volatile chemicals close to unprotected electrical equipment and forklift trucks.
The breaches came to light following an arson attack by a former employee in October 2008.
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Weather for Wetherby
Friday 10 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -9 C to 1 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
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Sunny spells
Temperature: -2 C to -1 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
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