St Werburgh’s Yard Fire Declared Accidental by Fire Service

The fire service has confirmed that a blaze which erupted in a yard in St Werburgh’s, situated near the M32 motorway, and sent plumes of black smoke over parts of Bristol, began accidentally. Approximately seven tonnes of stored scrap metal ignited during the incident yesterday afternoon. At its peak, the event, which commenced at around 14:20 GMT, saw seven fire crews and a water bowser in attendance. Vaughan Jenkins, area manager for Avon Fire and Rescue Service, informed the BBC that the fire had been extinguished by approximately 18:30 GMT. Images widely shared on social media depicted dense smoke drifting through the east of the city, including across the busy motorway leading into the centre of Bristol. Residents over a wide area also reported a strong burning smell, with individuals living in nearby properties and drivers passing by advised to close their windows due to the smoke. No injuries are believed to have occurred in the incident, and the fire service response was scaled back to two fire engines once the fire was put out. Mr Jenkins stated that these units remained on site to ensure the fire did not restart, with further checks carried out throughout the night.