Chichester tip fire: firefighters battle blaze for more than 13 hours

The fire broke out at the Westhampnett tip at 6pm yesterday (March 2), and a spokesman for the fire service at the time said it involved around 200 tonnes of recycling.

Crews spent the night battling the blaze, with a relief crew taking over earlier this morning at the site.

At 7.40am, West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service tweeted an update.

It said: "The fire is now much reduced in size with a small amount of smoke visible in the near area.

"This may cause a smell locally but presents no risk to health. However we advise to keep windows closed to avoid any smell or inconvenience."

At around the same time, a fire service spokesman told the paper one crew remained at the scene to make sure the scene was safe until the fire was fully extinguished.

At just before 9am, the fire service tweeted: "Crews are in the process of spreading the fire across the concrete yard so it burns away quicker. Don’t worry if you notice an increase in smoke. Please remember to keep your windows and doors closed."

At 10.30am, a fire service spokesman said the cause of the fire remains under investigation at this stage.