Crews to tackle recycling centre fire overnight

Firefighters will work around the clock to tackle a "significant" blaze at a recycling centre that sparked a major incident.

Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AFRS) was called to the site on Kings Weston Lane in Avonmouth, Bristol, at 01:32 BST. A large smoke plume has been seen blowing southwards across the city throughout the day.

Crews were "scaled back" at 15:30, but firefighters are still working on what is left of the blaze and operations will continue into the night, AFRS said.

The fire service also confirmed that all personnel at the site were safely evacuated with no reported injuries, and the major incident has been stood down.

Nick Rogers, group manager at AFRS, said investigating the cause will be the next phase.

"Once the fire is under control, we can safely get investigators inside to try and assess the cause of the fire," he added.

Fred Stinchcombe, regional manager at Suez UK, which operates the site, said the fire broke out at the company's materials recycling facility, where dry mixed recycling from local households and businesses is sorted.

Kings Weston Lane remains closed eastwards between the A403 St Andrews Road and Long Cross.

Matthew Crovetto, Avon Fire and Rescue group manager, told BBC Radio Bristol the cause of the fire was still unknown, but the specialist investigator had now arrived at the scene.

"As yet our fire investigation hasn't started, but at this time we don't believe this is anything other than accidental," he said.

"The fire spread quite rapidly and has involved a lot of the building," he said, adding that the roof and internal structures have been "heavily damaged".

He said there were still pockets of fire throughout the building, which he described as about the size of a football pitch.

The fire service encouraged people to avoid the area, for local residents to close their windows and doors and stay inside where possible.

The entrance to the Suez site is on Merebank Road, which is near to but separate from the Avonmouth Household Reuse and Recycling Centre operated by Bristol Waste, where a fire broke out in April 2025.

Crews from Avonmouth, Patchway, Southmead, Nailsea, Temple, Pill, Portishead, Kingswood, Chew Magna, Clevedon, Bedminster, Yate, Thornbury and Weston-super-Mare have attended the incident.

Stinchcombe added: "The fire is currently ongoing, and we apologise for any disruption caused to local residents and businesses as a result.

"There are no injuries and we are thankful to Avon Fire and Rescue Service for their quick and ongoing response."

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