Schools close again due to recycling plant fire

On Wednesday, about 40 firefighters were still tacking the "complex" fire

Several schools in south-west London have been forced to close again due to a fire that has been burning through rubbish at a waste plant since the weekend.

Firefighters were first called out to Reston Waste Management on Weir Road, Wimbledon, on Saturday evening.

The fire has been producing large quantities of smoke, leading to the closure of several local schools earlier this week.

Having been told to reopen by Wandsworth Council on Wednesday, within hours the schools were ordered to close again and send pupils home, due to air quality issues.

'Significant impact'

Wandsworth Council said it had asked the following schools to close as a precaution: Earlsfield Primary School, Beatrix Potter School, Garratt Park School, Chelsea Hall School, Tram House, Siward Road SEND Inclusion Base, as well as Jumping Beans Garratt Park Playgroup.

A council spokesperson said: "We have been in contact with head teachers since early this morning and are working to support their pupils and parents."

They added that the council would "make sure that children who receive free school meals can still receive food".

Earlsfield Primary School was allowed to reopen before being ordered to close again hours later

Local residents, particularly those in the Garratt Lane area, have been advised to keep all doors and windows closed because of the smoke.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) station commander Justin Randtoul, who has been at the scene, said the fire was having a "significant impact on local communities".

However, he said local residents should begin to see a "significant reduction in the amount of smoke being produced" as LFB's operation continued.

Mr Randtoul said about 40 firefighters were still tackling the "complex" fire.

“Our firefighters remain at the scene turning over waste and dampening down. In order to fully extinguish multiple deep-seated pockets of fire, around 6,000 cubic metres of waste has needed to be removed from the building and taken to a separate site."

He added: “Our scientific adviser has been monitoring air quality in the area and we have been liaising with our multi-agency partners including Wandsworth Council, Merton Council and the Environment Agency."