Hitchin MP Alistair Strathern has said he "won't tolerate" more fires at Hitchin Industrial Estate, after a fourth blaze in less than a year last night (September 19).

Fire crews and police were called to Global Ardour Recycling Limited in Wallace Way at 10.35pm, with a spokesperson for Herts police describing it as a "fire at a scrap yard".

This is now the fourth fire at the industrial estate in less than a year, after blazes in December 2023, as well as March and July this year at the Nationwide Metal Centre in nearby Cadwell Lane.

Mr Strathern told The Comet he wanted to see "necessary robust action to reduce the risk of fires", which have become "all too common".

The fire broke out at a scrap metal yard in Wallace Way.The fire broke out at a scrap metal yard in Wallace Way. (Image: Iyad Moustaquim)

"I share residents' concern at another fire breaking out on Hitchin’s industrial estates yesterday evening," he said.

"I’m grateful to our local fire fighters for their work to get the blaze under control and know efforts to investigate the cause of the fire are now underway.

"I’ll be continuing to liaise with Herts fire service as this progresses, but the fire is a stark reminder of the need for all local stakeholders to work together and take the necessary robust action to reduce the risk of fires which seem to be becoming all too common.

"We shouldn’t tolerate this, and I certainly won’t as our MP."