AN investigation has been launched following a fire at Broadlands recycling plant last night – six months after a blaze ripped through the site and destroyed a lodging house.

Seventeen firefighters were sent to the depot in Mont Fallu, St Peter, at about 6.40 pm after a digger and 5ft high pile of wood caught fire. The area was immediately cordoned off as firefighters searched the area for potentially explosive acetylene cylinders which fuelled the devastating inferno in July.

The Fire and Rescue Service contacted the Airport to advise them of the potential hazard and honorary police cordoned off all nearby roads as plumes of smoke once again poured out of the depot. A number of small explosions could be heard from the digger fire, but no gas cylinders were in contact with the blaze. The fire was extinguished at about 8 pm and roads were re-opened a short timer later.

Broadlands owner Wayne Le Marquand today told the JEP of his panic when he heard that the site was once again on fire. He said: ‘We have fought very hard since July to keep all the staff employed and keep the business running, and so when I heard about the fire all sorts of things were running through my mind.
‘I was wondering whether our temporary offices had caught fire and what was happening to the site – it was a sickening feeling.Thankfully however it was a relatively small and isolated incident and was in no way similar to the previous fire.’

• Picture: The scene at Broadlands recycling plant at around 7.45 pm last night Picture: Jon Guegan (00610596)