A city councillor has written to the owners of an industrial site to remind them of their responsibilities following a major fire in December 2023
As before reported According to the FPA, the fire broke out at a former Supa Skips site on the Lune Industrial Estate in Lancaster. The building, which contained up to 13,000 tonnes of commercial waste, prompted a multi-agency response.
Due to fears that the fire “still burn for months”, Lancaster City Council confirmed that it has donated £1.4 million to help the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS)”Gain access to the fire source by paying for the demolition of part of the building“ and remove waste to reduce the risk of fire recurrence.
“Although the City Council has no direct responsibility for the privately owned site, it quickly realised that a swift solution was needed for the benefit of local residents, businesses and to protect the environment.”, said the council.
The council confirmed it had recovered £764,916 from the government.after a period of intensive lobbyingThe Council notes, however, that although the fire has now been extinguished, “The site appears to be largely untouched” eight months later. reported from BBC NewsAccording to reports, the waste management company has been in liquidation since April.
The Council states that it has “has been written to the owners to remind them that they are responsible for the security of the site“.
Lancaster City Council Chairman, Councillor Phillip Black, said:Although the emergency phase of the incident has passed, it is important that people know that we continue to put pressure on property owners to meet their responsibilities. They have a duty to ensure that their premises are safely maintained and do not pose any potential risks to the community.
“In addition to reminding them of their obligations, we also requested a meeting to discuss the matter further and learn more about their plans for the long-term future of the building..”
During the incident, concerns were raised about the amount of smoke around the site and its impact on air quality, but the council nevertheless stated: “As the weather and wind direction changed, the smoke cloud regularly changed direction so that no area was exposed to the smoke for a long period of time – which significantly reduced the health risks.”
(Photo by Lancaster City Council)
