International waste management company Veolia, based in north London, has been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) over a fire at its site in Preston, which closed sections of the M6 and M55 for several hours during the morning commute in July 2007.

A total of 66 firefighters tackled the blaze at the Red Scar Industrial Estate at Longridge Road in Preston, after fire broke out at just after 6am in an open area of the site used to store drums of chemicals.

Firefighters reported seeing drums ‘rocketing into the air and off the site’ after catching fire. Emergency services closed the industrial estate and sections of the M6 and M55 while they tackled the blaze, amid concerns that that smoke and fumes would travel if the wind changed direction.

The fire was extinguished by mid-afternoon, after more than 132,000 litres of chemicals had been set alight.

HSE inspectors believe the fire was caused by lithium batteries igniting waste materials stored nearby.

On Wednesday (09/12/09) at Preston Crown Court, Veolia of Pentonville Road, Islington in north London pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6(3) and 9(1) of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002. The company was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £90,000 in costs.

HSE Principal Inspector for Lancashire, Linda Murray, said:

‘Our investigation showed that Veolia didn’t do enough to make sure that the dangerous chemicals on its site in Preston were stored safely. The company also failed to provide adequate training for its staff.

‘Any businesses that have flammable substances on their premises need to take appropriate measures to minimise the risk of fires or explosions. Veolia clearly could and should have done more. The fire at the waste site put lives in danger and caused gridlock on local roads.

‘I hope this case will make businesses think seriously about what they need to do to prevent fires in the future.’

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service issued three Enforcement Notices following the incident covering breaches of fire prevention regulations. The HSE also issued an Improvement Notice requiring the revision and rewriting of site operating procedures.

Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, Peter Holland, said:

Our firefighters worked courageously in extremely hazardous conditions, wearing chemical protection suits to tackle the fire at close quarters when necessary. Thanks to their efforts, the fire was prevented from spreading beyond the site perimeter.

‘This prosecution is the culmination of a comprehensive and detailed investigation, with the primary objective being to identify any possible measures that must be implemented to prevent a recurrence of such an incident.’

Kevin Lodge, Investigation Officer at the Environment Agency, said:

‘This was a serious incident which had the potential to cause long-term environmental damage, as well as posing a risk to staff and members of the public.

‘Any businesses handling hazardous waste must ensure that they have suitable procedures in place to identify, store and transport this type of waste.’

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