Crews remain at scene of 'significant' Leicester recycling centre fire

Crews remain at the scene of a major Braunstone fire which broke out on Sunday evening. Residents were urged to keep their windows and door closed as smoke filled the air.

The blaze broke out at around 6pm yesterday (June 30) in Leicester’s Sunningdale Road, with the fire coming from the Casepak recycling centre on the Braunstone Frith Industrial Estate. Dozens of crews from Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service (LFRS) were dispatched to the scene.

LFRS said a “significant” number of resources had been sent to contain the blaze. Fire crews urged nearby residents to keep their windows and doors closed to prevent the spread of smoke. Leicestershire Police, who were also sent to the scene, called on the public to follow the order to “keep themselves safe”.

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A spokesperson for LFRS said the fire was within the Casepak recycling centre, with eight pumping appliances first sent to the scene. This was later scaled up to 12, while four special appliances were also dispatched to fight the fire as well as three fire officers and a single aerial ladder platform.

At the height of the fire, LFRS said the flames were “producing a lot of smoke in the vicinity”, but that it was now under control. As of 4am on Monday (July 1), the fire service said the incident was now beginning to “scale down”.

LFRS said they will remain in attendance at the scene, with a “number of appliances” still at the blaze. People are still urged to avoid the Sunningdale Road area as of Monday, with a cause for the fire remaining unclear at this stage.

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