What is the current situation?
Since Tuesday, 1 July, Wigan Council has been working closely with its partner organisations – Environment Agency, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and United Utilities – to respond to a fire at Bolton House Road, Bickershaw.
Wigan Council has assisted the operation by providing additional water tankers and equipment, including cranes and diggers, managing traffic flows and visiting nearby residents to offer support. A 24/7 emergency helpline was set up immediately and is still in place. Residents can call 01942 489018 if they are in need of support.
When water pressures dropped, United Utilities delivered bottled water to customers registered on the priority services register, and Wigan Council arranged further temporary bottled water to local households. Residents were also invited to access washing facilities at council-owned leisure centres.
Council officers made contact with any residents who required additional support.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service continue to work on site to put out the fire, supported by partners including Wigan Council, United Utilities and Greater Manchester Police.
On Wednesday, 9 July, a major incident was declared by Wigan Council.
I’m a resident and I’m having issues with water pressure, what do I do?
In the initial stages of the fire, residents may have noticed a drop in water pressure as Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service worked hard to respond using water from the mains supply - which is a normal occurrence when tackling smaller, or shorter-term fires.
Now, tankers provided by United Utilities to support the operation are providing much of the water source, so water pressures in residential properties should start to return to normal; however, the fire service will resume abstracting water from the mains and nearby hydrants overnight in place of the tankers (to ensure that noise disruption is kept to a minimum) and customers may experience intermittent low water pressures during this time.
For more information on the supply of water to your homes, learn about the priority services register, or to get in touch with United Utilities about low water pressure to your property, please visit www.unitedutilities.com or call 0345 672 3723.
Why are there so many tankers on site?
To keep water flowing through customers’ taps, and to effectively support the firefighting operation, it has been necessary to look at additional water resources in the area. Due to the scale of the site and the amount (and variety) of waste, it has been essential for the fire service and council to use diggers to separate the waste, and douse smaller piles to stop the spread and minimise smoke plumes from the site.
Water tankers are a key element of United Utilities’ toolbox, and are often deployed to support in keeping customers on supply during bursts, leaks or smaller scale incidents. They can also help the fire service to fill their pumps (fire engines) with clean water to continue their firefighting operation, while minimising water supply disruption the local area by taking it out the mains supply.
The placement, and number of these tankers is being reviewed on a daily basis and we are mindful of the disruption to residents; however, the priority has to be extinguishing the fire and keeping the community safe now, and in the future.
I’m a business affected by the fire, what do I do?
At Wigan Council we have a business engagement team who would be happy offer advice, guidance and assistance if you are a local business affected by the fire on Bolton House Road.
To get in touch with them, please contact 01942 489190 or email Business support
Please check back here for more updates as and when we can give them.
What are you doing about the illegal waste site?
We understand that residents are frustrated with the situation, and we are working hard to resolve this.
An investigation, led by the environment agency, is underway. We are working hard with the EA and other partners, including Greater Manchester Police.
How long is the school going to be closed?
The safety of our communities is incredibly important to us. We are reviewing the closure of the local school on a regular basis and any updates will be sent directly from the school to parents.
We are in close contact with the headteacher.
I’ve got a cough or sore throat
Please keep windows and doors closed if there is smoke, and contact 111 or 999 in an emergency.