Crews from South Wales Fire and Rescue Service are continuing to work at the scene of a large industrial fire in Llantrisant.
With the support of Natural Resources Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and employees of the recycling centre, crews are working to extinguish the fire using water and wetting agents. Good progress is being made, but the Service anticipates the incident will last well into late evening.
Shortly after 2am yesterday, SWFRS arrived at the scene of a large fire at Llantrisant Recycling Centre involving 1,500 tonnes of non-hazardous waste covering 1,200m squared.
Multiple stations from across the Service and a significant number of resources were deployed, including eight pumping appliances, four water bowsers, one aerial ladder platform, and a range of specialist units, including an Environmental Protection Unit (EPU). Currently four appliances and a High-Volume Pump (HVP) are at the scene, along with an incident command unit.
Firefighters carried out external firefighting operations using two main jets to surround and reduce fire spread. A drone unit was deployed to provide enhanced situational awareness, allowing tactical officers and crews to monitor fire development and identify hotspots.
Area Manager Mike Wyatt, Head of Response at SWFRS, said: “I would like to thank our highly skilled crews for their courage and dedication. Their professionalism and commitment played a vital role in this operational response.”
There is no immediate risk to life or to surrounding properties, however SWFRS is still advising residents to keep windows and doors shut if they are affected by smoke from the incident. SWFRS is working closely with partner agencies, including South Wales Police, Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales, and Rhondda Cynon Taf council to ensure public safety and to assess and mitigate any potential environmental impacts.
AM Wyatt added: “Co-operation was key to this incident. Our partners including Public Health Wales, Natural Resources Wales, Rhondda Cynon Taf council, and South Wales Police all assisted us as we worked to bring the fire under control.
“We understand and recognise the disruption caused. A special thank you to our communities, local residents and businesses for their patience, understanding, and support during the incident.”
