A fire that broke out on Monday (27 November) at Peter Bacon Recycling in King’s Lynn, Norfolk is expected to keep burning for three more days as fire crews attempt to put it out.

Six crews from Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) were called to the site in the village of Bawsey at 6.50pm on Monday evening, after a fire took hold of a pile containing an estimated 1,000 tonnes of household waste.

The fire is now under control, but crews are still working to put it out.

Machinery is being used to collect and submerge parts of the pile in water before moving it out of reach of the fire. Crews will be working continuously during daylight hours and will be on site throughout and NFRS expects work to take another three days before the fire is completely extinguished.

The Environment Agency and Public Health England are also onsite and monitoring the situation. So far, no signs of pollution have been observed in the local rivers and ground water.

Smoke from the fire is being dispersed by high winds in the area, and Dr David Edwards, Consultant in Health Protection, Public Health England East advises: “Residents in areas affected by the smoke should stay indoors, keep their doors and windows closed, and tune in to the local radio station for advice and information.

“Motorists who have to travel through the smoke should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep their air vents closed.”

Peter Bacon Recycling is a local business that provides skip hire services and recycles metals, vehicles and their parts, paper, plastic, glass, wood and hazardous materials.