Firefighters worked through the night after a large fire broke out at a waste storage area on Spring Mill Walk in the Smallbridge area of Rochdale.
Rapid response and overnight operations
Crews from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) were called to the scene at about 8.15pm on Friday evening. Dramatic images shared on social media showed thick, black smoke rising from the site and visible from across the town as the blaze consumed a substantial quantity of waste.
GMFRS committed multiple appliances to tackle the incident. In a morning update the service said operations had been scaled back but firefighters remained at the location on Saturday working to extinguish remaining hotspots and make the area safe.
“Crews worked through the night to extinguish the waste fire on Spring Mill Walk, Rochdale. Operations have now been scaled back but firefighters remain at the scene on Saturday morning, dampening down hotspots and working alongside the Environment Agency to make the area safe.”
Local impact and ongoing work
Six fire engines attended the incident, with crews keeping the fire under control before reducing their presence. Firefighters were supported by the Environment Agency as part of efforts to ensure the site presented no continuing hazard to people or the environment.
- Location: Spring Mill Walk, Smallbridge, Rochdale
- Call time: around 8.15pm on Friday
- Resources: Six fire engines attended
- Current status: Operations scaled back; dampening down and safety checks ongoing
Timeline
| Time | Action |
|---|---|
| ~8.15pm (Friday) | GMFRS crews called to fire at waste site on Spring Mill Walk |
| Overnight | Firefighters worked through the night to extinguish the blaze |
| Saturday morning | Operations scaled back; crews dampening down hotspots and liaising with Environment Agency |
Residents who observed the smoke were able to see plumes from various parts of Rochdale as the fire burned. There has been no further public information in the update about any injuries, road closures or investigations into the cause of the fire.
InfoRadar will monitor statements from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and the Environment Agency and publish further details if they are released.
