Firefighters spend second night at battery plant blaze

Fire crews have spent a second night at a blaze in a battery recycling plant in North Ayrshire.

The fire is said to be contained but around 10 firefighters with three appliances remain at the scene in Kilwinning.

Emergency teams were called to the Fenix plant on Byrehill Road just after 22:00 on Monday.

Around 40 firefighters were required to tackle the fire at its peak and union leaders are concerned about the impact of their exposure to fumes over the 48 hours.

Residents have been advised to keep doors and windows closed as a precaution against smoke.

John McKenzie, Scottish secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), warned that the health and safety of fire crews was at a heightened risk due to having been on the scene for such a long period of time.

He said the crews "have been doing a fantastic job at a challenging incident preventing the spread of the fire and keeping the public safe.

"However, we know that Scottish firefighters are up to four times more likely to get certain cancers than the general population and are therefore concerned about the potential impact of fire contaminants on firefighters at the scene.

"The FBU continues to call for much needed additional investment to ensure that all appropriate decontamination and associated measures are in place to protect firefighters across Scotland from fire contaminants."

Speaking on Tuesday, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service area commander Jim Quinn said locals should remain at home and keep windows and doors closed as a precaution.

“If travelling through smoke, motorists should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep their air vents closed,” he said.

Damian Lambkin from Fenix Battery Recycling told BBC Scotland News the plant's response team had contacted emergency services, who he thanked for the "prompt and professional handing of the incident".

He said: "While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, we are fully co-operating with the authorities by providing all necessary information and support and Fenix Battery Recycling will continue to liaise closely with emergency services, regulatory bodies, and local authorities throughout the ongoing incident."