Pockets of fire STILL being uncovered weeks after large blaze in Lancaster extinguished

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service issued a further update about the fire in Lancaster.

A spokesman for Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said: “While the main fire has been extinguished, waste removal teams continue to work at the site and occasional pockets of deep-seated fire are being uncovered.

“If you can see or smell smoke, please keep your windows and doors closed as we continue work at the site.

“Thank you for your continued patience.”

Firefighters were first called to extinguish the ‘deep seated’ fire at the large former power station on Port Royal Avenue in Lancaster at 5.30am on Sunday December 3 and said it would take "a significant amount of time and resources to extinguish".

Buildings on the site were also structurally unsafe and had to be demolished, paid for by Lancaster City Council, to help crews access the fire, which involved 13,000 tonnes of commercial waste.

The air quality was consistently being measured by Lancaster City Council.

Lancaster City Council revealed they were pledging a further £650,000 from council reserves to help speed up the work needed to resolve the ongoing fire, in addition to £262,000 of funds already agreed.

A major incident was declared earlier in 2023 following other fires at the former skip hire site and power station, and a multi-agency task force including the Environment Agency, Lancashire County Council, Lancaster City Council, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Lancashire Police, was set up.

Cat Smith, MP for Lancaster, was among those calling for urgent action to clear the site due to concerns over the state of the building, premises and waste, and has been asking for help from the Government.

A1 Supa Skips Ltd had their site permit withdrawn by the Environment Agency in November 2022.

The company was also required to clear their site, at Unit 37, Lune industrial Estate, of all waste.

On December 6, 2023, police arrested a 36-year-old man and a 28-year-old man, both from Lancaster, on suspicion of arson at the site, and they were both bailed until March with enquiries ongoing.