Paper plant blaze still burning

The blaze has badly damaged the building Enlarge Image

A fire at a Flintshire paper recycling plant is still burning, but it is under control, firefighters have said.

Six engines were sent to Paperback Recycling Ltd on Deeside Industrial Park after the alarm was raised at around 1030 BST on Wednesday.

Firefighters have been unable to enter the building to fully extinguish the fire after the roof collapsed.

North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was thought to have been caused by recycled paper overheating.

Householders and businesses nearby were advised to keep windows and doors closed as a large plume of smoke could be seen for miles around.

But no hazardous substances were involved and there were no reported injuries.

The building is designed to collapse in on itself In pictures: Paper plant fire

Fire Service spokesman Bob Mason said: "The building is structurally very unsafe.

"The fire is under control, but following the collapse of the roof yesterday afternoon, it is impossible to send firefighters into the building to extinguish the remaining fire.

"The building contains big bales of recycled paper which are smouldering and at present we are unable to get to them properly.

"We will need to work with a heavy lifting company to get at the paper inside and we anticipate being at the scene for at least the next 24hrs."

The premises are owned by Paperback Recycling Ltd and signage outside describes it as a paperback collection and recycling firm.

Engines and equipment from Chester, Deeside, Flint, Buckley, Rhyl, Colwyn Bay and Wrexham have been used to tackle the fire.

On Wednesday, Ian Williams, operations commander at the scene, said: "The Paperback Recycling plant specialises in recycling shredded paper from another plant.

"That supply of shredded paper must have still been warm when tipped here and when it was exposed to the air on such a warm day, it caught fire, which spread quickly to other paper being stored at the premises."