UPDATE: Recycling firm comments on fire overnight at its Caythorpe plant

The fire broke out at around 8pm last night (Tuesday) at Mid UK Recycling’s plant on Caythorope Heath Lane, calling out four appliances, a water carrier, hose layer and high volume pump with supporting vehicles, according to a fire service spokesman.

Crews reported later light heat damage to a small section of a large pile of recycling waste. An inspection this morning has established the fire started from radiated heat from the waste packed together.

The spokesman said via social media: “On site staff used machinery to break up the pile so crews could extinguish using a hose reel.”

Over 20 firefighters were required with crews coming from Brant Broughton, Sleaford, Waddington, Holbeach, Grantham and Donington.

A spokesperson for Mid UK Recycling said: ”Last night, during routine patrols of our Caythorpe site, our staff spotted some smouldering in a pile of general waste material. As part of our standard procedure we called the fire and rescue service who attended. The waste was moved and dampened down and at no point did it break into a fire.

“Our Caythorpe site, like all our sites, are covered by 24 hour security and we constantly monitor for hot spots. We also have heat detection systems in place which were not in fact triggered last night, indicating the low level of the incident.“

The fire comes after the company was hit two years ago by a major fire which started through spontaneous combustion in piles of waste carpet at its Barkston Heath plant which burned for several days, causing disruption to nearby roads and homes. There have been more minor fires before at the Caythorpe site too.

Since then the company has installed a number of upgrades to its fire prevention precautions.