Firefighters end 13-day operation at Ladybank waste site after final assessment
Firefighting operations have finally ended at a Fife waste facility - 13 days after the £1million blaze broke out.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has handed the control of Lower Melville Woods Waste Facility back to operators Cireco, following a final assessment this morning.
Lee Turnock, area commander and local senior officer for Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling said: “Following extensive operations over two weeks, firefighters have now concluded work at the site and the incident has been brought to a close. Throughout this challenging incident, crews worked tirelessly in difficult conditions to contain the fire and ensure public safety.
“People in the surrounding area may still notice some light smoke or smouldering material at the site for a period of time. However, this is expected following an incident of this nature, and there is no cause for alarm.”
He paid tribute to the fire crews and all involved in what was a major operation.
The fire on May 14 involved recycled material and waste spread across an area measuring approximately 200m by 300m. At the height of the incident, SFRS had 12 appliances, 60 firefighters, and specialist resources at the scene.
He said: “I would like to thank our firefighters, Operations Control personnel, partners, and the local community for their continued support, patience and cooperation while this incident was ongoing.”
The development was welcomed by the site operators.
Robin Baird, chief executive of Cireco, said: "While firefighting operations have ended, work to safely manage the site continues. Cireco teams are now leading recovery efforts, including ongoing work to spread, dampen and cool remaining hot material.
"There may be some residual smoke or steam visible from parts of the site as this process continues. This is expected and is being carefully managed.
“Cireco has robust arrangements in place to manage the site safely, which have been agreed with SFRS. Trained staff will be present on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week to monitor conditions and respond quickly to any changes.
"I would like to thank SFRS and all partner agencies for their support in bringing the fire under control, and for the continued cooperation as recovery work moves forward. I'd also like to thank the public for bearing with us through this difficult period."
The waste facility, including the household recycling centre, will remain closed while recovery and remediation work is carried out. The site will be out of operation for several weeks while this work progresses.
Fife Council has already suspended bulky uplifts this week. All bookings have been cancelled until June 1. No new bookings will be taken until that date.
Cupar Recycling Centre will continue to open seven days a week until Ladybank Recycling Centre reopens.
The temporary 30mph speed limit on the A92 has now been lifted, and the access road will reopen tomorrow (Thursday).
Investigations into the cause of the fire will now be undertaken by the relevant agencies, including SFRS, SEPA and Cireco. It is likely these investigations will take some time. The public health advice remains unchanged, and people are still advised to take sensible precautions.