A large amount of fly-tipped rubbish in a Swindon town centre alleyway – which residents say has been reported to the council multiple times – has gone up in flames.
At around 6.15pm yesterday evening, a Graham Street family were shocked to hear neighbours banging on their door screaming ‘get out the house’.
Despite reporting fly-tipped waste in the alleyway back in March, the family watched on in horror as a raging fire took over the pile of rubbish and their fence.
On receiving a number of 999 calls, Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service dispatched two fire crews – one from Westlea and one from Cricklade – to the scene.
On arrival, they found a fire involving a large quantity of refuse and fencing at the rear of properties in Graham Street. The fire also effected some detached garages.
Two breathing apparatus and two hose reels were used to extinguish the fire.
One resident told Wiltshire 999s: “My daughter had been playing outside in the garden 15 minutes before the fire. If she was out there she could have been seriously hurt.
“We found out that even the fire brigade have reported the fly-tipping to the council but got no response. Now, our back gate has been totally destroyed, including a few of my daughters toys – which to a three-year-old was very distressing.
“Not only that; last night I struggled to get my daughter to sleep. She was crying, and was scared another fire would start.
“Swindon Borough Council have ignored all our complaints, and it’s could have led to serious danger for me and my family. Luckily, we are safe.”
