Residents to 'limit time outdoors' as landfill fire burns 8 days on

NHS Fife have also told neighbours of the site near Ladybank to keep their windows closed as environmental investigators remain to advise on air quality issues linked to the fire.

The fire broke out in the early hours of last Tuesday morning with more than 60 firefighters tackling the blaze at its peak.

Flames spread across an area some 200 metres by 300 metres with the material deep within the landfill continuing to ignite, with firefighters working “tirelessley” at the scene of the “complex” incident.

Changing wind direction has meant that pockets of fire are breaking out as waste is moved, although the blaze is now under control.

NHS Fife has now advised local residents to limit time outdoors in affected areas where possible and to take care if they see or smell smoke.

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A statement said: “While the fire is now under control, firefighting operations are ongoing and people in surrounding areas may still notice smoke, depending on weather conditions and wind direction.

“We recognise the concerns this continues to cause for people living in the surrounding area.“All smoke has the potential to be harmful when it is inhaled so we are asking people to be cautious and avoid where possible. People living nearby are advised to follow all guidance issued by emergency responders.

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“This includes keeping windows and doors closed if they can see or smell smoke, limiting time outdoors in affected areas where possible and taking care if travelling through areas affected by smoke.”

The site is run by private company Cireco Scotland on behalf of Fife Council, which said that around £1m of equipment has been destroyed by the fire.

There has been speculation that the ferocity of the blaze was aided by batteries disposed of at the site, although there has been no official confirmation of this.

Ken Gourlay, chief executive of Fife Council, said: “There has been quite a fair bit of speculation about batteries but we have not had that confirmed. There is going to be a review undertaken on the cause and recovery.”

As the fire is brought under control, a stretch of the A92 between Melville Lodges and Ladybank has now reopened.There were no reported injuries, and the fire is not being treated as suspicious.

Concerns have also been raised over the impact on air quality in the area, while Willie Rennie MSP for North East Fife has called for a summit to learn any lessons.Mr Rennie said the fire had had “a major impact on people in the area”.

He said: “I am calling for a summit in Ladybank with the Scottish Government, Fife Council, Cireco and other relevant stakeholders to learn lessons on sharing information, health risks, management of waste facilities and the safe disposal of batteries."

“We need to know what assessments were made of the risks at the site.”

Robin Baird, chief executive officer at Cireco, which operates the site on behalf of Fife Council, said: “We operate well within the operational capacity for the site. We take the safety of staff across all our sites very seriously and follow all relevant legislation.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) said: “SEPA are continuing to attend an ongoing fire at the Lower Melville Wood waste facility, Ladybank, Fife.

“Our officers continue to visit the site, assessing nearby watercourses for signs of pollution and so far, have observed no impacts. SEPA’s Airborne Hazard Emergency Response (AHER) Service continue to work with partner agencies to inform their provision of health advice.”