Images provided by West Midlands Fire Service

Around 45 fire fighters remain at the Smurfit Kappa SSK paper recycling complex, Birmingham, after a ‘large fire’ broke out at 22:12pm on Wednesday (17 April) evening.

At its height, in excess of 100 fire fighters, 28 fire engines, two aerial appliances and a high-volume pump were tackling the blaze which engulfed an estimated 9,000 bales of cardboard across seven acres of the 22-acre site.

Speaking on Twitter, a spokesperson for the West Midlands Fire Service said: "Fire at Smurfit Kappa is in a very large outdoor storage area. Approx 10,000 tonnes of recycled cardboard bales are ablaze.

"Fire is contained to storage area, high winds are hampering fire fighting, however crews and other agencies are working extremely hard to bring blaze under control."

While much of the fire has been dealt with, a ‘substantial amount’ of the cardboard remains burning and smouldering. Currently, fire fighters are working to ‘break into bales of paper and board’ to extinguish the fire fully.

This process is expected to take some time as exposing the smouldering cardboard to oxygen can lead to flare-ups, endangering fire fighters.

According to the fire service, they are being assisted in their operation by Smurfit Kappa, with one digger supporting the removal of ashes and wet cardboard for recycling. It is hoped that further diggers will be able to join in the operation once more areas have been made safe.

While the origin of the blaze is being investigated it isn’t currently being treated as suspicious.

Difficulties

According to the West Midlands Fire Service, gusts of up to 40mph ‘have made the operation particularly challenging’, though the plant itself was protected from harm, by on-site drencher systems.

As a result of the wind those in the ‘local area’ were urged to ‘keep windows and doors closed to keep the ash/smoke out’.

Those on site at the breakout of the blaze were quickly evacuated and accounted for, with acetylene cylinders removed from the site for ‘fire safety’. The fire service also successfully delayed the ‘passing of a train carrying aviation fuel’, to ensure the situation did not develop.

Nearby roads remain closed indefinitely due to the presence of ‘large-diameter fire hoses’ and the ‘continued arrival and movement of fire engines and other vehicles and equipment’.

Business owners in the area are being allowed to return to their premises on foot. However, there has been some disruption to local businesses with closed roads delaying deliveries.

Fire fighters are expected to remain onsite well into the weekend, and for ‘at least’ another 48 hours.