Firefighters in Hitchin will work into the night today (Saturday, July 20) to extinguish a large blaze at the Nationwide Metal Centre scrapyard on Cadwell Lane.

Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service were called to the scene at 4.10pm, with six fire engines sent as well as an aerial ladder platform and a water bowser.

They brought the fire under control, with some crews expected to remain at the scene into the night to damp down and extinguish remaining smouldering fires.

A spokesperson for the fire service confirmed that nobody was injured as a result of the fire.

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Hertfordshire police, the East of England Ambulance Service, the Environment Agency and railway workers all supported Herts Fire and Rescue at the scene.

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It is the third fire at the Nationwide Metal Centre in the last eight months. Previous fires broke out in December last year and February this year, with the latter caused by "lithium batteries" according to Cllr Ian Albert, who represents Hitchin Bearton ward on North Herts Council and Hitchin North on Hertfordshire County Council.

After the fire in February this year, Cllr Albert, along with fellow Hitchin Bearton councillors Dave Winstanley and Val Bryant, called for an "urgent review" of the scrapyard.

Alistair Strathern, Hitchin's MP, told the Comet this evening that he will be "speaking with our local councillors and Herts Fire and Rescue Service for more details on the incident, and to push for action to reduce the risk of further fires like this in the future".

The county council has two contracts with Nationwide Metal Recycling Limited, including for the "treatment of scrap metals and lead acid batteries". The council said in May that they were "confident that the organisation is reputable and compliant with all relevant legislative requirements for the services they provide for us".

Nationwide Metal Recycling Limited could not be reached for comment this evening.

After the previous fire, in February, they said: "Nationwide Metal Recycling Ltd have worked very closely with Hertfordshire County Council, the Environment Agency and Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue Service to identify ways of working to provide a better environment for our employees and our neighbours and will continue to do so.

"We would like to provide reassurance that all aspects of our business are in full compliance with the relevant regulations and permit requirements for our operations and we can confirm that, as a direct result of the fire, we have immediately ceased accepting the material [that was believed to be the most likely cause of the fire] at our Hitchin depot."