Tyre fire could take weeks to burn out

A major fire raging on a Shropshire industrial estate could take weeks to burn out rather than days, police officers have warned today.

An estimated 2,000 tonnes of waste rubber went up in flames on Tuesday morning at Kingpin Tyres on Wem Industrial Estate.

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Now police and other agencies have held talks on combating the inferno.

Police have also reminded residents of the need to keep windows and doors shut if smoke is near their homes.

Superintendent Peter Lightwood, of West Mercia Police, said: "The fire is under control but it will be a long-term job to contain and could take weeks to extinguish rather than days.

Review

"There is no immediate risk to public health due to the smoke and all local services will continue as normal.

"However, the situation remains under review as atmospheric conditions could change and the level of smoke could increase while the fire service continues to tackle the fire.

"The general advice from health agencies is for people to stay out of the smoke as far as possible and keep windows and doors shut, particularly if they are in the vicinity of the fire.

"We are closely monitoring the situation and if anyone has concerns about their health they should call their GP or NHS Direct on 0845 4647.

"People with underlying health conditions, particularly those with asthma or chronic chest conditions, should be aware that inhaling smoke may make their symptoms worse."

Experts

Fire investigators have attended the scene but have yet to establish the cause of the blaze.

Meanwhile, Environment Agency experts have deployed hi-tech monitoring equipment to test samples of air and water on site amid fears over pollution.