Wigan 'toxic' waste fire forces children to miss school
In a letter written to Environment Secretary Steve Reed, Simons said children at the nearby Bickershaw CofE Primary had missed "multiple days at school" because of the fire and that United Utilites was dealing with "toxic water run off".
"In this fire, the people I represent are suffering again because their voices have not been heard and their warnings have fallen through the cracks between agencies," Simons wrote.Wigan Council said the school had since re-opened. The authority said it had declared a major incident on Tuesday because of how long the fire had been burning and the resources it required. The authority said it was working with the Environment Agency to look into alleged illegal dumping at the site.
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