Fire at UK plastics recycler

A fire broke out yesterday afternoon (21/11) outside the Boomerang Plastics factory in Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service said that no-one had been injured as a result of the fire, which was brought under control last night. 

The source of the blaze was bagged, reclaimed material. "Following an investigation into the cause by the Fire Investigation Officer, the preliminary findings are that the fire was a direct result of an arson attack which the police are investigating," Boomerang Plastics said in a statement. 

Six fire engines were called to the scene in the Lichfield Road Industrial Estate and Staffordshire Fire Service reported large amounts of thick smoke in the surrounding area.

The smoke caused severe disruptions to rail travel, due to the close proximity of the factory to local train lines. 

"A huge thank you to the Fire Brigade for their rapid response and effort in bringing the fire under control, and for the quick response to the situation of our Boomerang team in creating a fire break to stop the spread further," commented Mike Jordan, Managing Director of Boomerang. 

The fire affected one of Boomerang's sites, however, the main site is unaffected and continues to operate as normal. 

Boomerang plastics is part of the Summit Systems Ltd Group and specialises in the recycling of post-consumer plastics.