Kiveton Park: Villagers' health fears as waste fire continues to burn

Villagers are calling for more to be done to tackle a waste fire at an industrial estate which has been burning for five weeks.

The fire at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, near Rotherham, started on 21 September, but is continuing to emit acrid fumes as it smoulders.

People living nearby have been asked to keep their windows and doors closed because of the smoke.

Officials said they were working hard to "bring this incident to a close".

At its height, six fire engines, an aerial appliance and a pump attended the incident, including crews from as far afield as North Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.

One resident, Cheryl Barton, summed up the mood in a meeting held in the village on Monday.

She said despite the "valiant efforts" of the fire service, they had failed to put the fire out.

"We need more resources down there," she said, adding that she was calling for a task force "to head this up" to make it safe for the residents.

"We don't know if it's safe to be breathing this in," she added.

Another resident said her son's window faced in the direction of the blaze.

"He came and got into bed with us the other night and he stank of burning plastic, and he's got the most horrendous cough," she said.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said deep-seated pockets of waste kept reigniting and crews had returned several times.

"This work is progressing well, but it is challenging due to the nature of the waste and the condition of the building the material is in," a spokesperson said.

"We continue to explore all available options to bring this incident to a close."

The Environment Agency has brought in excavation equipment to move the waste and has installed an external air quality monitoring unit close to the site.

Nearby watercourses are being tested on a daily basis, but so far no pollutants from the waste fire had been detected, the agency said.

Matthew Gable, from the Environment Agency, said melted plastic had almost formed a crust over the top of the waste, making it difficult to extinguish.

"We are well aware of the impact of the smoke and I know it's really unpleasant for people," he added.

"We are doing everything we can to bring this incident to a close."

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