Fire at Swansea factory expected to burn for weeks

A fire at a factory in Swansea which started on 16th June could take weeks to extinguish.

The fire broke out at the former Mettoys factory in Fforestfach. The site is used to store shredded tyres. It is thought that over 8000 tons of tyre waste is alight.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said that there have been at least 2 fire crews at the scene since it started.

Chris Margetts from the fire service, told BBC Radio Wales: “This is an extremely complex incident. We’ve had to order specialist equipment from all round the UK in order for us to contain the hazardous material. It needs to be put into sealed containers and taken to a dedicated licensed waste disposal site of which there is only a handful in the country. We’ve knocked the fire right back to a big smouldering mass and we are containing that as it is. We realise it is emitting a smoke plume that is causing a nuisance to the neighbours. The problem is if we apply water to the surface it creates a water proof crust and the material carries on burning underneath.”

The cost of disposing of the waste is expected to cost around £800,000.