Around 100 firefighters have been tackling a large blaze at an Aberdeen recycling centre after it reignited around midnight.
The fire service were originally called to reports of a fire at an Altens recycling centre just after 4.30pm on Friday.
Crews managed to extinguish the blaze just after 10pm but remained on scene to ensure the area was safe.
However, the fire took hold again just after midnight, sparking a huge emergency response. Around 24 appliances were sent to the fire at the centre on Hareness Place at the incident’s peak.
At around 7pm, more than 19 hours after the fire reignited, a spokesman from the fire service said the operation was being scaled back and that only six appliances remained on scene.
A fire services spokeswoman said: “We were alerted to reports of a fire at 4.37pm on Friday July 8 at a recycling centre in Altens industrial estate, Aberdeen.
“Crews continue to tackle the fire which is causing some wide-spread smoke in the local area.”
Piles of debris
Residents of nearby Cove have been struggling with low or no water supply due to the sheer amount being used to fight the fire.
To help stop supply issues, crews began pumping water from the harbour to the hoses being used at the recycling centre.
It is understood that Hareness Place and a section of Coast Road were closed off while teams while teams pumped the water.
Photos from the incident on Saturday afternoon show large piles of debris and smoke still billowing out of the building.
The appliances that have been at the incident on Saturday include height appliances, water carriers and high-volume pumps.
They have been sent from Aboyne, Alford, Banchory, Dundee, Montrose and Peterhead to support the Aberdeen crews.
No reported injuries
The recycling plant at Altens is operated by Suez Recycling and Recovery UK.
Regional director John Wilkinson confirmed the cause of the fire was not yet known and that there were no reports of injuries.
He said: “At 4.37pm on Friday July 8 a fire started at our recycling facility in Altens, Aberdeen. The cause of the fire is as yet unknown, however, thankfully, no one was injured.
“We would like to thank the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service for their efforts to manage the fire throughout the night and we apologise for the disruption to our neighbours and the local community.”
Locals could be seen gathering around the recycling centre to watch the commotion.
One onlooker said: “It’s lucky no one was in the building. A building can be renewed, but you can’t renew a life.”
Widespread smoke
Pictures on social media throughout the day on Saturday showed dark plumes of smoke in the sky. The smoke could be seen from as far as the city centre.
Ambulance crews were also spotted in the area, but this is believed to be precautionary.
There was a flurry of activity at the recycling plant as day crews took over from the nightshift earlier this morning.
A fire service spokesman said they had been receiving calls about the incident throughout the morning.
They initially said it would be “impossible” to confirm how many firefighters were on scene before confirming there were around 100 in attendance on Saturday afternoon.
Cove residents lose water supply
Scottish Water has confirmed on its website that residents in Cove were experiencing low or no water supply due to the amount of water being used to put out the fire.
It said the incident was putting a strain on the network and that it is working with the fire service to help restore supply.
Scottish Water apologised to customers, saying: “The severity of the fire has meant drawing large amounts of water from the network which in turn has impacted water supplies.
“We are working closely with the fire services to look at alternative methods in extinguishing the fire which will then allow water supplies to restore back to normal pressure.”
At around 5pm, it confirmed water supply should be returning to normal: “We have introduced an alternative supply to our customers by moving water around the network, this should ensure the water supply will gradually come back in to service for customers.”
Community stepping in to help
With crews having been at the scene for many hours, members of the community have come forward to support them.
Owner of Yilmaz Snack Bar, Yilmaz Huseyin brought pallets of juice for the emergency workers.
He said: “I already offered them free food this morning. Things like this, you want to help people, they’re here all day – some have been here all night.
“They need something sweet so I brought some juice, it’s just something that I can do to give them a wee bit of back up you know.”
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