Hitchin: Investigators 'unable to determine' cause of recycling blaze

On November 8, a blaze erupted from the Waste Recycling centre in Wallace Way, with residents advised to lock windows and stay indoors.

A picture taken above the Hitchin blaze. (Image: Submitted) The fire continued for several hours into the afternoon when it was finally contained.

Hitchin MP, Alistair Strathern called the situation "unacceptable" and asked for action as this was the fifth industrial fire in the area in under a year.

Read More:

• Fire crews deal with blaze at Hitchin recycling site - summary
• Hitchin: Firefighters tackle large fire at Metal Centre

Over a week on, Herts County Council have concluded that investigators were "unable to determine the exact cause" of the fire.

From a CCTV review, they believe the fire started "accidentally" in a pile used to store vehicles and other metal prior to crushing.

The fire was first spotted in the early hours of the morning. (Image: Sam Newman) A Hertfordshire County Council spokesperson said: “We recognise the concerns of residents and are engaging with local community representatives on this issue to provide reassurance.

“The Environment Agency are the primary regulator for this type of facility and we will continue to work with them, our local government partners in the county and Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service to ensure they are all as safe as possible.

“We also join others in local government and industry bodies in seeking further legislative and regulatory support to help reduce the risk of fires in the waste industry.”

Watch a video of the fire below: