Edinburgh locals told 'close windows' as smoke billows 35 miles from blaze at waste facility

Edinburgh residents have been urged to keep their doors and windows closed as a blaze continues to rage on a waste facility 35 miles away.

On Saturday, June 29, locals in the central belt including West Lothian and Edinburgh complained of a 'strange chemical smell' as firefighters tackled a blaze at a waste facility in Caldercruix in North Lanarkshire, reports Edinburgh Live.

Fire crews remain at the scene as the inferno continued through the night and a 'smell of burning plastic' has wafted through to the east of the country.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service advised locals to keep their windows and doors closed.

In a post to social media, they wrote: "Firefighters are at the scene of a fire near Airdrie. Residents nearby and in the East of Scotland are advised to keep windows and doors shut. If travelling through smoke, motorists should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep air vents closed."

An Edinburgh resident said: "Very pungent burning smell right across Edinburgh right now. No one seems to know what it is or where it's coming from."

Locals in Livingston and the surrounding areas noticed the smell on Saturday evening with locals in Edinburgh and even as far as Dunbar commenting on a strong odour in the air which was like 'burning plastic'.

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: "We got a call today at 12.20pm to a fire on Meikle Drumgray Road.

"We initially went to investigate and at the moment there are five appliances in attendance as well as a senior officer.

"EPA are in attendance also to evaluate the environmental impact."

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