Danger averted

Inferno at recycling plant: keep the windows closed!

(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Major fire department operation in the Tyrolean lowlands: a fire broke out at a recycling plant in Pill (Schwaz district) in the early hours of Tuesday morning. More than 100 firefighters battled the flaming inferno for hours. The fire department also appealed to people to keep their windows closed. The all-clear was given in the course of the morning.

Shortly after 5 o'clock in the morning, the fire broke out at the recycling plant in Pill. Within a very short time, whole mountains of waste were ablaze. "The Weer and Pill fire departments were alerted first. We then sent out extensive additional alarms. All in all, seven fire departments from the region were on site with 20 vehicles and 116 members," explained incident commander Hannes Unterlechner in an interview with the "Krone".

We were alerted at exactly 5.11 am. All in all, seven fire departments from the region were on site with 20 vehicles and 116 members

Einsatzleiter Hannes Unterlechner

A cloud of smoke drifted eastwards
The fire was finally under control. However, "fire out" could not yet be given, the police said shortly after 8 a.m. in response to an inquiry from "Krone". On the contrary: at this point, the emergency services were still appealing to people to keep their windows closed in the region.

A cloud of smoke was drifting eastwards. They also said: "Follow the instructions of the emergency services and keep your distance."

Once the fire was largely extinguished, the residual waste hall was cleared with excavators to extinguish further embers.

All-clear in the morning
At around 9 a.m., the incident commander was able to give the all-clear. "There is no more smoke at the scene. Some of the smoke is still hanging over the Inn Valley to the east, but it is dissipating," says Unterlechner. The warning to keep the windows closed was finally withdrawn in the morning.

According to the fire department incident commander, no people were injured. The cause of the fire is still completely unclear. The police will begin an investigation.