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Waste ban after 10-day industrial estate fire

Lewis ScrimshawNottingham
James Naish A burnt out double-decker bus at the Hathernware Industrial Estate, Sutton BoningtonJames Naish
Fire crews from three counties dealt with the fire in Sutton Bonington

The Environment Agency (EA) has banned access to an industrial site where a large fire burnt for more than a week.

At its height, 13 fire engines tackled the fire at the Hathernware industrial estate, off Rempstone Road in Sutton Bonington, near the Leicestershire border, which started on 15 April.

The cause of the blaze - which involved large quantities of industrial waste, including wooden pallets, vehicles, trailers, cylinders and tyres - remains undetermined due to the "severity of the damage", Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue said.

As well as imposing the six-month ban, which started on 2 September, the EA is also investigating alleged criminal activities at the site.

Drone footage shows the scale of the fire in Sutton Bonington

Fire crews spent 10 days at the site, with neighbours telling the BBC at the time they were frustrated and worried about smoke drifting into their homes.

Authorities said while the smoke could cause unpleasant symptoms, air quality assessments indicated the risk was low.

A spokesperson for the EA said: "We have now successfully stopped further waste being brought on to land at Hathernware industrial estate following an investigation.

"This is a significant milestone which helps reduce the risk of environmental incidents and provides greater protection for local communities and the environment."

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service A firefighter hosing down piles of industrial waste while a mechanical digger stands byNottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service
Nearby residents raised health concerns about smoke from the fire

James Naish, Labour MP for Rushcliffe, welcomed the restriction order in a social media post and said preventing more waste from being stored at the site had been a "key ask" from nearby residents.

A Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "A thorough investigation was completed once the fire was fully extinguished, however due to the severity of the fire and damage, the cause was undetermined."

Rushcliffe Borough Council had previously said agencies were aware this was the second fire in the area in the past eight years.

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