Fire crews tell residents 'not to be alarmed' by smoke

Fire officers working to put out a blaze at a battery recycling plant have told residents "not to be alarmed" if they see increased plumes of smoke coming from the site.

Crews were first called to the Fenix plant in Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, just after 22:00 on Monday.

The blaze is now said to be under control but around 10 firefighters with two fire engines and a height vehicle remain at the scene.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said local people would notice "increased activity" as final efforts are made to completely put the fire out.

Smoke could be seen billowing above the site on Monday night

Residents have been advised to keep doors and windows closed as a precaution against smoke.

Area Commander Ian McMeekin said: “Residents may notice an increase in activity while we work to gain access to the site. Do not be alarmed if you see an increase in smoke. The fire within the site will remain under control as we work to bring the incident to a conclusion.

“We urge residents to remain at home with windows and doors shut. If travelling through smoke, motorists should keep windows closed, turn off air conditioning and keep their air vents closed.

“We continue to work with the recycling centre and partner agencies to minimise the disruption to the local community and will continue to provide updates.”

Nearby residents who witnessed the fire have now been warned about smoke plumes

John McKenzie, Scottish secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), previously warned that the health and safety of fire crews was at a heightened risk due to having been on the scene for such a long period of time.

He said the crews "have been doing a fantastic job at a challenging incident preventing the spread of the fire and keeping the public safe.

"However, we know that Scottish firefighters are up to four times more likely to get certain cancers than the general population and are therefore concerned about the potential impact of fire contaminants on firefighters at the scene.

"The FBU continues to call for much needed additional investment to ensure that all appropriate decontamination and associated measures are in place to protect firefighters across Scotland from fire contaminants."