Tyre firm deny fire charge
A LITTLEPORT company has denied breaching the Environmental Protection Act following a fire at a rubber processing plant last year.
A LITTLEPORT company has denied breaching the Environmental Protection Act following a fire at a rubber processing plant last year.
More than 2,000 tonnes of shredded tyre caught fire at Murfitts Industries in Wisbech Road on August 21, burning for almost six weeks before firefighters were finally able to extinguish the flames.
Appearing at Ely Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, representatives acting for Murfitts denied a charge brought by the Environment Agency that on or before August 21 last year they did treat, keep or dispose of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health.
Magistrates ordered both parties to appear at the court again on December 14 for committal to crown court.
The company’s site in Littleport has been closed since August of last year as a direct result of the fire, which caused huge plumes of smoke to billow from the site for weeks.
The fire at the company’s Littleport site involved tyres and shredded rubber material, and quickly spread to the site buildings, several site vehicles and fuel storage tanks. The Environment Agency called in specialist air quality monitoring consultants to sample air quality in the affected area.
Most Read
- 1 21st century agreement on future of 17th century pub
- 2 ‘It’s sadly coming to a natural end’ - restaurant to close its doors by August
- 3 Littleport 'hit and run' on Victoria Street
- 4 Village barn struck by arsonists in 4am blaze
- 5 Pedestrian struck on Ely Road in Littleport
- 6 Florist 'busier than ever' hoping to build from lockdown success
- 7 Arsonist firebombed GP surgery after doctors refused to give him heroin
- 8 Former Baptist chapel to be turned into four-bedroom house
- 9 Council bans use of agricultural land to extend garden
- 10 Councillor hits out at 'huge intransigence' over splash pad project
Several business and residents that neighboured the site were evacuated, with one family only allowed to return to their property in March, some seven months after the fire broke out.
