Discarded battery started recycling yard blaze

Local residents in Great Blakenham had to keep windows and doors shut for 24 hours due to the fire

A large fire at a recycling yard that caused mainline train services to be disrupted was caused by a discarded battery, according to a fire service.

Eighty firefighters were called to Sackers scrap metal recycling yard at Great Blakenham, near Ipswich, on Thursday.

Once the fire was under control later that night, Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service launched an investigation into the cause.

Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council cabinet member for public protection, urged people to learn from the incident.

"This was a major incident that caused massive disruption to a great many people and saw firefighters put themselves potentially in harm’s way as they bravely dealt with it," he said.

"We all use batteries, we all benefit from them, and therefore it is everyone’s responsibility to dispose of them safely.

"I would urge people to learn from this incident – please, when you get rid of a battery, do it properly."

Thursday's fire meant Greater Anglia train services were cancelled and delayed due to the line running right past the recycling yard.

Two other large fires took place at Sackers in 2023 but bosses previously stressed they had in place approved fire prevention plans.

Some people in the area expressed their concern following the fire and called for Sackers to respond.

A spokesperson for the Environment Agency, which licenses the centre, said it had found "no breach of the site permit conditions" during its own investigation.

Sackers has been approached for comment.

Firefighters from neighbouring Essex and Norfolk attended to tackle the fire on Thursday

The National Fire Chiefs Council said in May that lithium-ion batteries thrown in household rubbish bins had led to more than 1,200 fires in the UK waste system in the past 12 months, compared to 700 in 2022.

There have been similar fires across the county due to this issue, including in June last year when a fire broke out at Haverhill waste transfer station in Homefield Road.

If not separated properly, batteries can become crushed in the waste and recycling process leading to them self-combusting and setting fire to any surrounding waste.

They can be recycled at any of Suffolk's 11 recycling centres as well as at many supermarkets.