A man has described the “horrible stench” of black smoke after a large bin fire broke out metres from his house.
A number of bins caught fire today (April 28) at a council storage facility off Wilson Avenue, in the Whitehawk area of Brighton.
Large plumes of black smoke were visible across Brighton and Hove, with East Sussex Fire and Rescue sending three engines to the site.
David Barrett has lived on Wilson Avenue for 40 years, and described the confusion in the street as huge black plumes poured into the sky from just across the road.
David says no one in the street knew what was going on (Image: David Barrett)
“Nobody knew what was going on,” 73-year-old David said.
“People were just gazing over at it, wondering where all the black smoke was coming from.
“It took everyone by surprise.”
David was sitting by his window at around 1pm today when the sky turned dark. Initially, he assumed a deluge of rainfall was on its way.
“I first thought it was about to rain,” he said. “I thought it was a thunderstorm or something.
“The sky went very dark.”
David says the smoke made a ‘horrible stench’ (Image: David Barrett)
It was only after he went outside that David realised it was a fire.
“It smelt like burnt rubber and plastic,” David said. “It was such a stench really, quite horrible.
“You could feel it stinging your eyes, and it felt horrible in your throat.
“The smell was very unpleasant really. I covered my mouth – you don’t want to be breathing that in.”
David has lived in the area for 40 years (Image: David Barrett)
David soon saw police cars go by, with Wilson Avenue closed off shortly afterwards. He later saw a helicopter in the sky above the blaze.
Sussex Police later said that the fire is being treated as suspicious.
David said that the black smoke was blowing directly towards the nearby houses.
“It was ok when the wind was blowing down to the sea,” David said. “But when it changed direction, the black smoke was all over us.
“Everyone shut their windows. That wouldn’t be a nice smell to have in your home.”
The fire involved a number of wheelie bins (Image: David Barrett)
Police say huge bin fire visible across the city is ‘believed to be deliberate’
Police say huge bin fire visible across the city is ‘believed to be deliberate’
In pictures – blaze takes hold at recycling centre with multiple wheelie bins on fire
In pictures – blaze takes hold at recycling centre with multiple wheelie bins on fire
Live updates from large bin fire as smoke visible across the city
Live updates from large bin fire as smoke visible across the city
East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service confirmed just before 3pm that the fire had been put out, with no injuries reported.
The council bin store is located next to a Veolia recycling centre. However, a spokesperson for Veolia said the fire was contained at the council’s bin store and did not reach the recycling facility.
Brighton and Hove City Council have been contacted for comment.