A TWO week safety inspection has begun at a former waste plastics site at the centre of two large fires.

The joint operation led by the Environment Agency, Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire Fire Service got underway yesterday to secure the former V10 Polymers site in Paterson Street, Blackburn.

However residents said they were still concerned about the fire risk at the site especially with Bonfire night looming.

Tonnes of plastic waste was split into separate piles to reduce the risk of potential fires spreading across the site.

Specialist contractors were assigned to pick up bits of waste containing asbestos which had landed in the gardens of neighbouring properties.

John Wood, principle environmental health officer for the council, said the asbestos health risk was ‘very low’.

Karl Hunter, from the Environment Agency, said: “We will be here for two weeks making the site as safe as possible.

“We are introducing fire breaks which means another fire would be less likely to spread and fire engines can get inside to fight the flames.

“We want to reassure the public we are fully aware of their concerns and are acting accordingly.

“We are working closely with the fire service to protect the people living nearby.”

Around 30 homes had to be evacuated as the inferno spread across the former V10 Polymers site last week.

Neil Hardiman, watch manager at Blackburn Fire Station, said: “The investigation is still ongoing and we believe the fire was suspicious.

“The community safety team have given out leaflets to residents with advice about fire safety and what will be happening at the site.”

Bob Smith, who lives on nearby Swan Street, said: “I’m worried about bonfire night. We’ll have the biggest bonfire outside our doorsteps if it goes up again.

“It’s awful, we said it would be set on fire and we feel it will happen again.”