Fire rips through 50 tons of waste at Kidderminster Recycling Centre

Five crews were sent to Kidderminster Recycling Centre on the Hoobrook Industrial Estate where waste was alight.

The crews from Kidderminster, Stourport, Droitwich, Redditch and Bromsgrove tackled the blaze which started at just before 2pm on Wednesday.

A Hereford and Worcestershire Fire Service spokesman said: "We used two main jets and two hose reel jets. The electricity supply to the building was isolated and the water run off was contained on site."

West Mercia Police were called by the fire service but only to assist.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said: "Officers attended to assist the fire service who were the lead agency."

Nearby businesses said they had not been affected by the fire and had not had to evacuate their buildings.

An employee of the nearby Wyre Forest Leisure Centre confirmed they had not had to evacuate with fire engines being present near their site.

Another, an employee from Rygor Mercedes-Benz Dealership nearby who did not want to be named, also confirmed they were not evacuated during the fire.

The employee added: "It was all dealt with very quickly. It did not affect us at all.

"It was where all the waste is collated at the tip, a lot of paper and rubbish there. Something happened there."

The incident was scaled down to one fire engine at 6pm and the crews continued dampening down .

The site was reinspected throughout the evening and the incident was closed down at 11.14pm.

By Daldeep Kaur