Pet owners warned to keep animals away from river after blaze

THE Environment Agency, the Government’s environmental protection office, has warned pet owners to keep animals away from the River Avon downstream from the Rytonon-Dunsmore site where a scrap fire raged on Friday.

It also urged farmers to ensure livestock do not enter the river ‘as a precaution.’

The River Avon flows west from Ryton, south of Coventry Airport to Stoneleigh Park, then between Warwick and Leamington and on into Stratford-upon-Avon.

The large scrap fire on Friday at White’s scrapyard could have left toxic metals or materials leaching into the river.

The Environment Agency said officers ‘are checking the quality of the water which could have been affected,’ as the cause of the fire is still investigated by the Warwickshire fire service.

On Friday more than 70 firefighters from Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire rushed to tackle the inferno, which started in a large pile of metal scrap and car components.

The plume of acrid smoke could be seen across the Midlands, and the lack of visibility at Coventry Airport forced it to suspend flights.

The air ambulance, based at the site, was still available to attend emergencies.

The fire broke out late on Friday morning with readers spotting the plume of black smoke from miles away.

Firefighters remained on the scene throughout Saturday damping down hotspots to ensure the blaze could not take hold again.