Large blaze at Bootham Lane scrapyard sends smoke across region
Firefighters will remain at the scene of a substantial blaze at a scrapyard in Bootham Lane, near Hatfield, after flames and thick black smoke were seen across Doncaster and beyond on Friday evening.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (SYFR) said crews had "made good progress" but expected to stay on site overnight and into Saturday. The service warned residents to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed because of smoke.
"Crews have made good progress at this incident and we will shortly be scaling back our response to four fire engines. We expect to be on scene overnight and into tomorrow so please continue to avoid the area - we anticipate traffic disruption in the area while we remain on scene. Those living nearby should continue to keep their windows and doors closed due to smoke in the area."
At the height of the incident nine fire engines and SYFR’s Command Support Unit were deployed. The blaze was visible from parts of Barnsley, Sheffield and Scunthorpe, with social media posts reporting a large plume of smoke rising above the skyline.
Local impact and safety advice
The scrapyard fire follows a run of major incidents across South Yorkshire during recent hot weather, for which SYFR has been increasingly mobilised. Emergency services are focussing on preventing the fire spreading to nearby properties and managing road disruption while operations continue.
- Road users: expect disruption in the Bootham Lane area while crews remain on scene.
- Nearby residents: keep windows and doors closed due to smoke inhalation risk.
- Public: avoid the area to allow emergency access and reduce exposure to smoke.
The fire service update did not provide information about any injuries, the cause of the fire or the exact size of the scrapyard. Officers remain on site as they scale down resources from the earlier peak response.
Context: summer fires in South Yorkshire
Emergency crews across the county have faced a sustained period of high demand as dry, hot conditions have increased the risk of large blazes and other heat-related incidents. The Bootham Lane fire is the latest in a sequence of significant fires that have required multi-appliance responses.
| Detail | Known information |
|---|---|
| Location | Bootham Lane, near Hatfield, Doncaster |
| Fire service response (peak) | Nine fire engines and Command Support Unit |
| Current response | Scaling back to four fire engines; overnight attendance expected |
We will update this report as further information is released by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service or other emergency services. For now, residents in the affected area should follow the fire service guidance and monitor local travel information.
Leah Brown, InfoRadar Doncaster Local Democracy Reporter
