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About 80 firefighters put out recycling centre blaze

Auryn Coxand
Claire Graham,BBC News NI
NIFRS Aerial footage taken at night showing a fire engine spraying water on a fire at a number of sheds at a recycling centre. Smoke can be seen rising from the flames.NIFRS
People living nearby have been advised to keep their windows and doors closed

Firefighters have put out a blaze at a waste recycling centre outside Carryduff, almost 24 hours after it started.

Crews were sent to the incident on the Hillsborough Road about 20:45 BST on Sunday. Large plumes of black smoke could be seen from miles around.

At the height of the blaze, about 80 crew members were involved.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) advised people living nearby to keep windows and doors closed, and asked members of the public to avoid the area.

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NIFRS said 10 pumps, an aerial appliance and a high- volume pump were deployed on Sunday.

A specialist rescue team and two water tankers were also at the scene.

The Irish Waste site sits between the Moss Road and Hillsborough Road, to the south-west of Carryduff.

On Monday morning, there was a blanket of hazy smoke across the area.

NIFRS Group Commander Andy McVeigh is smiling at the camera. He is standing in front of a red and yellow fire truck. He has grey hair and is wearing a yellow fire-proof suit.
NIFRS group commander Andy McVeigh said he expected operations to continue into Monday afternoon

Operations were scaled back at 07:00 and five engines and a high-volume pump were still on the scene at 10:00.

By 11:30 about 30 firefighters were still there.

The fire eventually subsided and firefighters left the scene shortly before 20:00.

"It has been a significant fire for the operators of the site and for ourselves as a fire service," said NIFRS group commander Andy McVeigh.

"We'll continue to operate most likely for the rest of the day as it's a deep seated fire."

Enva, which owns the Irish Waste facility, said the fire was contained to a single building.

"The safety of our employees, emergency responders and the local community remains our absolute priority," the company said.

The firm said it recognised the "concern and disruption" caused for residents and businesses.

It added there was no anticipated impact to customer service or ongoing operations.

Brian Higginson has grey hair and a grey beard. He is standing outside during the day in front of grass in front of a metal fence. He is wearing a shirt under a jumper and blazer.
Councillor Brian Higginson said the fire was intense

Democratic Unionist Party councillor Brian Higginson arrived at the scene on Sunday night.

"It was an intense fire when I arrived here," he said.

"There was a thick black smoke and the wind was carrying it down toward Carryduff."

Higginson thanked the firefighters who tackled the blaze overnight and he urged people to take care if they were near the site of the fire.

Alliance Party assembly member for the area Kate Nicholl said her thoughts were with the firefighters.