THE TIP at Cheney Manor Industrial Estate was closed for much of yesterday while firefighters tackled a blaze in one of the machines.

Firefighters were called to the household waste recycling centre at Swindon Commercial Services at 11.15am after a fire started inside a waste drier, which turns rubbish into fuel.

Three crews from Swindon, Westlea and Stratton attended the blaze along with an aerial appliance from Swindon.

A Wiltshire Fire and Rescue spokesman said: “Firefighters were called to Swindon Commercial services at around 11.15am after a fire started in a solid recovered fuel machine.

“Four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used two hose reel jets to bring the fire to a safe conclusion.

"A thermal imaging camera was also used to track exactly where the problem was in the machine.

“The fire was just contained in the one machine and did not spread anywhere else.

“It was put out by 2.40pm and the site was cleared by 3pm.”

Crews were later joined by two more firefighters wearing breathing apparatus to tackle the fire.

While crews battled the fire, the site was closed to the public wishing to dispose of their household waste until firefighters were satisfied it was completely out.

A spokesman for Swindon Council, which owns Swindon Commercial Services, said: “There was a fire within a waste drier which was rapidly brought under control and did not spread.

"We closed the site to the public as a precaution until the Fire Service were satisfied that the fire was completely out.

“The drier is used as part of the process that turns non-recyclable household waste into fuel, as an alternative to sending the waste to landfill. The fire will have no effect on waste or recycling collections.”

Nobody was injured in the incident and the site was re-opened shortly before 3pm.

Firefighters have been called to the area on several occasions in the past few months, including one fire at neighbouring Swindon Skips which blazed for more than two weeks in December last year.

In April, a crew from Westlea were called after a fire was started after a digger drove over some aerosol cans.