Residents told to keep doors and windows closed as fire raged at North Lanarkshire waste facility

Edinburgh residents were urged to keep their doors and windows closed as a blaze raged on a waste facility 35 miles away in North Lanarkshire.

On Saturday, June 29, locals in the central belt complained of a ‘strange chemical smell’ as firefighters tackled a blaze at a waste facility in Caldercruix.

Fire crews remained 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.”

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

“We initially went to investigate and there were five appliances in attendance as well as a senior officer.

Writing on social media, NHS Lanarkshire stated: “We are urging residents within the East of Scotland and nearby to the fire incident in Lanarkshire, who can smell smoke, to keep windows and doors closed.

“If travelling through smoke motorists should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep their air vents closed.”

* Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.

And did you know Lanarkshire Live is on Facebook? Head on over and give us a like and share!