Fire Breaks Out At Plastics Factory In Brandon

Published: Saturday 20th Feburary 2010 11:30

Updated: Thursday 25th February 2010 18:00

 

In the early hours of Saturday 20th February at 2.04am, fire crews were called to a fire on Brandon Industrial Park just off London Road in Brandon.

 

Two appliances from Thetford, two from Bury St Edmunds, two from Newmarket as well as single appliances from Brandon, Methwold, Mildenhall and Ixworth attended the blaze at Chase Plastics.

 

The turntable ladder and communications vehicle from Bury St Edmunds were also in attendance, there is believed to have been over 50 firefighters on scene at the height of the blaze which involved a large quantity of palletised recycled plastic in an open yard.

Police diverted traffic away from the A1065 London Road via the A11 at the time, the road was re-opened at around 11am.

 

The fire was extinguished by 5.15am and Police and Fire crews remained on scene throughout most of the day damping down and making the area safe.

 

A high volume pump from Thetford fire station was on site to pump water from the Little Ouse river to the scene of the fire over a mile away, however it is still unclear whether or not this was used.

 

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Police said suspects may have started a fire near to the perimeter fence at the rear of the premises, which has then spread to the compound (storage area) causing significant damage.

 

A man has now been charged with arson following the fire at Chase Plastics. David Allison, aged 18 and of Peppers Close in Weeting has been remanded in police custody and was due to appear before Bury Magistrates on the morning of Thursday 25th February.

 

A 16 year old male from the Thetford area arrested on suspicion of arson has been released

without charge. A 15 year old male from Brandon and an 18 year old male from the Thetford area

have been released on police bail to return to Bury Police Station on 26th March.