Halkyn quarry blaze started in a bitumen silo, says North Wales fire service

Firefighters battled a blaze at a quarry in Flintshire until around midnight the fire service has said.

The incident began in a bitumen silo at the Pant quarry in Halkyn on Tuesday afternoon.

Around 35 firefighters from Deeside, Chester, Wrexham and Llandudno attended the fire.

Natural Resources Wales said its officers supported the fire service “in their response to a fire at Pant Quarry, Flintshire last night.”

“The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest.”

“Officers were on site to provide advice and help minimise the risk of pollution by monitoring any impact on the environment.”

A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said:

“We were called to a fire involving a bitumen silo at a quarry at Halkyn, Flintshire at 16.24hrs yesterday.”

“Two crews and a foam carrier from Deeside, the High Volume pump from Llandudno, the Aerial Ladder Platform from Wrexham, a crew from Wrexham, a crew from Flint and a crew from Chester were all in attendance.”

“The road was closed while we utilised hydrants in the area to tackle the fire.”

“Firefighters were in attendance until almost midnight tackling the fire, and reattended this morning to reinspect.”

“The stop has now been received.”

“The fire is believed to involve overheating of the bitumen product.”

Video: Cassius Wolf

A number of local residents posted on social media they heard loud explosions.

Posting on the Halkyn Mountain Community Concerns, News & Updates Facebook page on Tuesaday Dewi said:
“I witnessed the explosion…. it was like a bomb going off debris going everywhere sheets etc and the sheep started running from near the blast it was unbelievable to see just like watching it on tele when a bomb goes off.”