Following an incident that occurred in Bracknell on Monday, 25 May, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, Bracknell Forest Council and the Environment Agency have issued the following joint statement:
Following recent reports in the media regarding the incident at the Daler Rowney site, we would like to clarify the environmental impact caused by the fire.
This was a substantial response involving 15 fire engines supported by specialist capabilities at its peak. The multi-agency effort involved police, ambulance, environmental agencies, health and utility partners.
During firefighting operations, the priority throughout was to protect life and minimise harm. We are pleased that there were no casualties from this complex and challenging incident.
Operational decisions were informed by specialist hazardous materials advice, plume modelling and assessment with the UK Health Security Agency. This enabled us to understand potential health impacts and to update advice as the situation evolved, including confirming when it was safe for residents to return.
Containment measures were used on the site in the initial stages of the incident and an environmental risk assessment was completed during the fire. Inspection of the local area found no water run off on the evening of the 25 May. Due to the volume of water used (likely to be between 2,000 and 3,000 tonnes of water), some water did subsequently escape to the west of the site onto adjacent land and drains which flow to The Cut river. This is being managed by appropriate agencies. With the fire now extinguished, Daler Rowney have been instructed to ensure any remaining firewater on site is retained and safely removed.
While there is no indication of ongoing pollution into The Cut river, the Environment Agency continues to monitor the remediation work with partners to ensure Daler Rowney tackle any remaining contamination and restore the local environment from the impacts of this fire. Additional meetings are taking place with Thames Water on-site to make sure all potential environmental impacts are being addressed. On site pumping has been continuing by a specialist contractor with some necessary overnight working taking place.
A Recovery Coordination Group, led by Bracknell Forest Council, is overseeing ongoing environmental monitoring, remediation activity and public health advice, supported by partner agencies. Further information is being shared directly with residents as required and updates can be found on the dedicated webpage.
All partner agencies are committed to capturing and sharing learning from this incident to strengthen future multi-agency preparedness, response and recovery arrangements.
Thank you for your patience as we work to restore the local area following this significant fire.