NSW Fire and Rescue Still Responding to Fire at Cleanaway Transfer Station Artarmon

Yesterday afternoon around 3.00 pm In the Cove started receiving enquiries about a heavy smoke smell.  Most of the queries came from the Greenwich area, and the smell was described as not your normal fire smell; it was noted the smell was more like something synthetic was burning.  Shortly afterwards, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) confirmed there was a fire in Artarmon.

ARTARMON | #FRNSW Crews are working to extinguish a structure fire on Lanceley Pl. All staff at the location have been evacuated. 🚒🚒🚒@NSWAmbulance and @nswpolice on scene. @WilloughbyCity

— Fire and Rescue NSW (@FRNSW) December 5, 2022

Fire at Cleanaway Resource Recovery Centre/Transfer Station – 5 December 2022

Around 3 pm on 5 December, 2022, more than 20 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) trucks and 80 firefighters were called in to attack the blaze, which engulfed the Cleanaway building in Lanceley Place at Artarmon.

Large piles of rubbish, including mattresses, were fuelling the flames of the ‘eight alarm’ blaze.  An eight-alarm blaze means that multiple units are required, and the fire is difficult to contain.

All staff managed to make it to safety outside before the fire took hold.

 

FRNSW crews have since managed to contain the blaze to the warehouse and reduce the large plume of toxic smoke pouring out of the building.

NSW Ambulance paramedics assessed two firefighters for heat exhaustion. One was taken to Royal North Shore Hospital for further treatment, while the other was treated on scene.

A lightning storm, moving through the area at the time of the incident, briefly forced aerial firefighting operations to be paused to ensure the safety of crews.

FRNSW crews worked through the night.

 

Tuesday 6 December 2022

FRNSW crews are still on the scene today (6 December 2022).  There are nine trucks and 36 crews on site.

The fire is in a 50 x 50 m warehouse filled with mainly household rubbish.  The fire continues to smoulder, and foam is being sprayed from outside the building.  The fire is contained, but there continues to flare up.

FRNSW Media told ITC that crews would soon be meeting with engineers and facility management to establish if the wahrouse building was safe to enter.  ITC was told that the building does not look fire impacted from the outside.  A solution may be for FRNSW to bring in heavy machinery to start removing the rubbish from the building.

As FRNSW has not been able to enter the building, the cause of the fire is unknown.

FRNSW has asked that locals avoid the area.

Fires at Waste Facilities

Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for there to be fire at Waste Facilities.

FRNSW Media spokesperson told ITC that this was the fourth fire at a waste or recycling facility FRNSW had responded to this week.

In June 2022, there was a fire at the Belrose Waste Facility.  According to an article in the Northern Beaches Advocate “The fire was deep-seated within a large refuse pile, estimated to be up to 6m in height. With the assistance of heavy machinery and plant operators already at the site, firefighters set about breaking down the pile, spreading it out and systematically extinguishing the fire.”  Read more here.

On 11 June 2022, a fire broke out at the Cleanaway Rockdale Resource Recovery Centre.  At the time, a Cleanaway Spokesperson said fires in Resource centres were not uncommon and that lithium batteries were usually the cause.  Once a Lithium battery becomes compounded, they corrode and ignite.

A Cleanway Spokesperson released the following statement to ITC:

“Yesterday afternoon there was a fire at our Artarmon Resource Recovery Centre. Emergency Services attended and the fire has now been extinguished.

Cleanaway will work with the authorities to investigate and determine the cause of the fire. The facility will be closed until the damage can be assessed, and expect it to remain closed for the next few days.

This is a good reminder that batteries are the main cause of fires in waste and resource recovery facilities and should not be disposed of in household bins.”

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