Due to a five-day recycling plant fire, London’s schools and nurseries were closed.
A fire at a recycling plant in southwest London has been raging for almost five days, prompting the closure of several schools and daycare centers in the area.
Thousands of Londoners were advised to keep their windows closed after a big pile of household trash in Wimbledon’s Weir Road caught fire on Saturday just before 10.30 p.m.
In an update on Wednesday lunchtime Wandsworth Council, which has been monitoring air quality, advised seven schools and nurseries to close “on a precautionary basis”.
Earlsfield Primary School, Chelsea Hall School, Beatrix Potter School, Garratt Park School, Tram House, Siward Road SEND Inclusion Base, and Jumping Beans Garratt Park Playgroup are among the institutions impacted.
“We have been in contact with headteachers since early this morning and are working to support their pupils and parents,” said the council.
“We will continue to keep the situation under active review and provide further updates as necessary, including whether precautions should be taken at other schools.”
The council said it will make sure children eligible for free school meals can still receive food.
The fire was brought under control at 7.34am on Sunday but the London Fire Brigade (LFB) is still working to fully extinguish the blaze.
London Fire Brigade (LFB) has advised all Wimbledon, Earlsfield and Tooting residents to shut windows and doors due to the remaining smoke from the fire.
The LFB reported early on Wednesday that “about 260 cubic meters of waste remain ablaze at the Wimbledon fire.”
“Crews are having to systematically turn over waste and dampen it down in order to fully extinguish the fire,” said a spokesperson.
Nearby residents have complained about the air feeling “toxic” nearby on Garratt Lane, causing eye and throat irritation.
Evening Standard news editor Tom Davidson, who lives in Earlsfield, said: “It’s been a persistent acrid smell since Sunday morning, when I first noticed it, with varying levels of severity depending on the wind.
“It’s tough for those of us in flats being totally unable to have your windows open for any length of time because the smell pretty quickly becomes overwhelming.”
Tooting MP Dr Rosena Allin-Khan has also warned residents to avoid the area near the fire.
The politician posted on X: “I know many local residents are concerned with the ongoing incident at Weir Road.
“The advice remains to keep windows and doors closed and avoid the immediate area.”
An LFB spokesperson said: “Crews have been working through the night (Monday) making steady progress at the scene of this waste fire.
They remained on scene this morning (Tuesday) damping down and extinguishing deep-seated pockets of fire.
Firefighters are working to remove piles of waste to a separate site to enable them to fully extinguish the fire and this will continue into this afternoon.
“While this work is ongoing, smoke continues to be produced from the site. We kindly ask everyone who lives nearby—that is, in the boroughs of Wandsworth and Merton—to keep their windows and doors closed, especially in the vicinity of Garratt Lane.
“Our scientific advisor has been monitoring air quality in the area and we have been liaising with our multi-agency partners including Wandsworth Council and Merton Council.
“Firefighters will also be out in the local area today speaking to residents and giving them advice. They will also be available to carry out home fire safety visits.
“This is a a protracted incident with our firefighters remaining on the scene today to fully extinguish this fire.”
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