Bradford tyre blaze: Operator fails to clear debris

There were about 600,000 tyres at the site, Bradford Council said at the time of the fire

The operator of a site where a major blaze broke out involving thousands of tyres has failed to comply with an enforcement notice to clear the area.

The Environment Agency said a clearance notice had been served on operators of the Spring Mill Street site in Bradford before the fire in November 2020.

At its height, about 100 firefighters tackled the blaze at the site which held about 600,000 tyres.

The Environment Agency has now said the notice had not been complied with.

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Firefighters were still tackling the aftermath of the blaze involving the tyres on 23 November 2020, a week after it started.

Following a visit to the site on Thursday, the Environment Agency said in a statement: "The operator has failed to comply with the legal requirements of an enforcement notice, compelling it to remove tyres from its illegal waste site on Spring Mill Street, Bradford.

"Failure to comply with the conditions of an enforcement notice is a criminal offence. This will be considered as part of the Environment Agency's ongoing investigation.

"The Environment Agency is now working with those that have legal responsibility for the land to seek removal of waste from the site."

Plumes of smoke from the fire caused widespread disruption during and after the blaze

More than 20 schools were closed at the height of the fire due to air pollution caused by smoke from the blaze.

Public transport services in and out of the nearby Bradford Interchange were also cancelled or diverted, with a number of nearby roads closed.

A man aged 59 and a 48-year-old woman had been arrested in North Yorkshire in connection with the blaze.

Both have been released on bail and inquiries were still ongoing, West Yorkshire Police said.

About 100 firefighters were on scene at the height of the fire

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