Yorkshire fire which has been smouldering for almost four months is almost out, say Envrionment Agency

The fire at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate, which began on September 21, has continued to smoulder. Residents have raised concerns about the health impacts from the blaze, which South Yorkshire Fire aand Rescue Service say is made up of “baled waste”, and is stored at an “illegal waste site”.

The Environment Agency has installed an external air quality monitoring unit close to the site, and is looking into potential offences at the site.

MP Alexander Stafford raised concerns over the blaze on December 31, posting on social media that he was “extremely concerned” over “thick plumes of smoke”, “in what seems to be a bigger escalation than we have seen for some weeks”.

However, South Yorkshire Fire Service reported that the smoke is believed to have originated from a separate incident – a van fire on the estate adjacent to the waste site. They were called to the incident at 9.32am and upon arrival they found an abandoned scrap van well alight.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “The work to extinguish a waste fire at Kiveton Park Industrial Estate is nearing competition. The incident is being dealt with via a multi-agency operation comprising the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, the Environment Agency, Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, UK Health Security Agency and the Police.

“We are continuing to ask local residents to bear with us while the work is completed. If people have environmental concerns they should contact our 24/7 hotline 0800 807 060.”