A major incident has been declared at Viridor Recycling Centre at Pilsworth where fire righters are on site tackling a blaze involving household waste.
The fire is causing smoke in the air and local people are asked to keep their windows and doors closed.
Crews from 10 fire stations are currently engaged in tackling the blaze affecting a steep heap of shredded waste. Firefighters from Manchester Central, Blackley, Hollins, Chadderton, Bury, Whitefield, Ramsbottom, Heywood, Broughton and Agecroft are using heavy machinery, hoses and breathing apparatus to direct water onto the burning material – the heavy machinery is in turn being deployed to break up the heap and aid firefighting.
Paul Duggan, Area Manager and Head of Prevention and GMFRS, said: “Firefighters have been tackling this blaze at a landfill near Bury for around seven hours and are making steady progress. Conditions are not easy – the surface, around the size of a football pitch, is uneven under foot and there is a significant amount of smoke at the site. I want to take this opportunity to praise GMFRS’ crews for their hard work and dedication.
“The smoke plume can be seen for miles around and the easterly wind means it is drifting across the motorway and in the direction of Ainsworth. I’d ask anybody driving on the motorway to take care around Junction 3 of the M66, and residents in south Bury, to keep their homes’ windows and doors closed.
“I want to reassure the public that the materials on fire and the smoke do not pose any significant risk to people’s health. We have called this Major Incident simply to co-ordinate emergency services’ response and best share our resources. GMFRS will be on site working hard until this fire is out.”
No roads are currently closed in Bury but Rochdale Council will be closing-off Moss Hall Road in Heywood and diversions will be put in place.
