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Fire fear over 'tower of trash'

Stuart Pike
22/ 2/2008

A PEACEFUL avenue's residents whose lives are overshadowed by an industrial 'rubbish dump' have insisted it is a fire and health hazard.

Neighbours on Caen Avenue, New Moston, claim they have suffered for years from the eyesore of towering trash at Chain Bar Mill. They say there have been several large blazes at the site – and it causes other plagues, including filthy floods, flies and vermin.

Much of the dumped waste is piled against a fence which adjoins 87-year-old Madge Challinor's back garden.

In the latest incident, a blaze on Sunday 10 February, residents rushed out of their homes when they thought that "50 foot high" flames had set alight to her house.

Two appliances and 10 firefighters from Blackley and Phillips Park stations spent 45 minutes tackling the rubbish fire, after reports of a blaze shortly after 7.30pm.

Mrs Challinor, who has lived in her house for 60 years, said: "I saw the bonfire outside. It was so high - the neighbours from the other avenue came to see what was going on."

She added: "It used to be a lovely garden, but now I couldn't care less about it. It's a complete tip."

Friend Jean Cairns said: "It was horrendous. It was right up against the trees."

Last August, eight vehicles in the mill's lock up were torched in a break-in and arson attack, which threatened to force residents to evacuate, before firefighters managed to contain it within the yard.

Neighbour Helina Blank says builders working outside her house have at times been forced to down tools because of the smell of smoke and burning plastics.

She said: "The rubbish goes all along – it has got worse over the last few years. I think we're too close for it to be an industrial estate. We all try to have trees at the back to block it but because of that we don't tend to get any sunlight."

Another woman, who wished not be named, added: "We have had rats in the house. We love to have barbecues in the summer but because of the fumes we can't."

George Delahunty, who owns a furniture business in Chain Bar Mill, says he is worried that a fire could damage his shop and says he "doesn't blame" the residents for being angry about the situation.

He said: "There must be 50 tonnes of rubbish there. The fire brigade have been out countless times."

Local councillor Basil Curley said previous visits had shown that nothing illegal was being done on the site, but felt that businesses should show more responsibility.

He said he had recently instructed environmental health officers to carry out another inspection.

Cllr Curley added: "We are keen to get this yard sorted out because we have some concerns about its proximity to people's gardens. A lot of residents are very disgruntled at the way some of the companies on the site operate. You have to be a good neighbour."

A council spokesperson said the matter was being investigated and an enforcement officer would soon be visitng the site.