Overview
- A large fire broke out at a recycling warehouse on Everite Road in Widnes Monday, rapidly spreading through hundreds of tonnes of stored cardboard.
- Cheshire Fire and Rescue declared a major incident and deployed up to 20 fire engines with support from neighbouring counties to fight the blaze.
- Firefighters worked from the outside because the single-storey building was at risk of collapse and crews stayed overnight to cool hotspots.
- No injuries were reported and police confirmed all site personnel were accounted for, but road closures and advice to keep windows and doors closed remain in place.
- Officials say about 450 tonnes of the 550 tonnes stored were affected and investigators will probe the cause once the site is secure while health agencies warn smoke can irritate breathing.