Latest news with #scrapyard
BBC News
27-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Fire continues to rage at scrap yard in Gravesend
More than two dozen firefighters continue to tackle a blaze at a scrap yard in Kent which broke out more than 24 hours Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) said it was called to the London Scrap Terminal in Northfleet Mill in Crete Hall Road, Gravesend, shortly after 02:00 BST on Tuesday morning, 25 fire fighters were still working to put out the "deep seated" fire, which has seen an estimated 5,000 tonnes of scrap metal caught fire service is asking residents nearby to keep windows closed as there is heavy smoke in the area. The fire service is using a high-volume pump to take water from the nearby estuary to tackle the Chaston, from KFRS, said: "We working really hard, with great help from the on-site staff using their heavy machinery, to work our way into the hotspots."Mr Chaston said he expects crews to remain at the scrap yard until "at least tomorrow"."From there, it's really about how quickly we can work our way into the pile," he cause of the fire is currently unknown, Mr Jones added.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Warning over growing EV graveyards as major change looms for Aussie electric car industry
A new Chinese electric vehicle sits under a tarp in a dusty Australian scrapyard. Damage to the car, although clearly visible, is relatively minor but the car has been written off. It's a scenario that has plagued some early adopters of electric vehicles in the country as challengers persist in the fledgling repair network including a lack of qualified mechanics to work on the modern cars. The BYD Atto 3 sitting under the tarp had been written off by the insurance company, ostensibly deemed too much trouble to fix. "It had only done 300 kilometres. It was basically brand new and it was rear ended," car expert Paul Maric told Yahoo News. "It had very minor rear end damage. There was no damage to the battery and no further damage to the structure of the vehicle and despite this it appears the insurer wrote off the vehicle." In the end, his electrician brother bought the car for $2,500 to repurpose the battery. Related: Warning over hidden electric car issue: 'Useless as an investment' "If you look at what is happening in electric cars in general, the repair network doesn't have the skills required at scale, and definitely not on the scale that the government wants," Maric said. "At the moment there's a lot of hoops for panel beaters to jump through to make it viable to repair an electric car, as a result of that you don't have many of them, and as a result of that it's very expensive to fix them." Nicolas Rio is the general manager at Right2Drive, a company that supplies motorists with a replacement vehicle when they're involved in an accident and it's not their fault. Because the business aims to provide a like for like replacement, it is having to stock more EVs in its fleet and is in constant contact with repairers. "We work very closely with the repair network on understanding how those processes take place," he told Yahoo. "We're starting to get more clarity on best practice, safe practice on electric vehicle repairs." He said while there is an increasing number of accredited EV repairers establishing themselves, any damage to the battery can still cause major challenges. "When there's damage to the battery that can often be a very expensive repair which may exceed the value of the car," he said. "That is a factor with electric vehicles. "But generally speaking, the repair network that supports electric vehicles is strengthening, and definitely in metropolitan areas." However there are concerns in the industry that NSW could be about to introduce a major speed bump. There is currently no coordinated national pathway for repairers to get officially certified to work on EVs. To help address that NSW Fair Trade is currently proposing changes to the state's Motor Dealers and Repairers Regulation including requiring mechanics to pass certain training courses before they're legally allowed to service and repair electric and hybrid vehicles. The changes would come into effect from July 1, and the industry says it could badly exacerbate shortages and ultimately lead to more damaged cars sitting idle in carparks and scrapyards. The CEO of the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA), Stuart Charity, warned this month that it would "reduce access to essential repair services and increase costs for NSW motorists". "We agree that technicians working on high-voltage vehicles must be trained and competent — and that's already happening. But this proposal creates a legislative barrier that will drastically reduce the number of qualified service providers overnight," he said. Maric said the changes could mean workers carrying out ordinary tasks like changing tyres would need to do the mandatory certification which "just seems outrageous". "We sometimes underplay the amount of energy stored in one of these batteries and how much can be discharged if you mishandle a high voltage cable, or if you penetrate a battery," he said. The batteries can discharge enough energy to kill someone, he added. "There are some real risks working on an electrified vehicle if you don't know what you're doing. So I agree we do need some [coordinated] licensing or training that people undertake, but there needs to be logical reasoning behind it." For now, NSW Fair Trading says no final decisions have been made as it continues consultation with the industry. According to the AAAA, fewer than 10 per cent of NSW automotive technicians are estimated to have completed any formal EV training. Meanwhile the state government is aiming for more than half of new car sales to be EVs and hybrids by 2030. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
BBC News
22-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Smoke warning as crews tackle Bradford scrap yard fire
People in part of Bradford have been urged to keep their windows and doors closed as fire crews continue to tackle a large fire at a nearby scrap crews were first called to the blaze on Nelson Street, just outside the city centre, on Wednesday evening and remained at the scene on Thursday.A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said seven pump appliances and one aerial appliance had been sent to a scrap yard building were "requesting that people avoid the area if possible and those that live nearby close all their windows and doors to stop smoke entering their property", the spokesperson said. The fire investigation team had been assessing the cause of the blaze and found that it had started in an adjacent business where waste was being burned, they added."Unfortunately, this got out of control, spreading to surrounding combustible materials, then to the adjacent units," the fire service spokesperson said. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Thirty vehicles alight in Dewsbury scrapyard blaze
A total of 30 vehicles were alight at the height of a blaze at a scrapyard which caused major disruption in a West Yorkshire market town, the fire service has smoke caused road closures and affected rail travel due to the fire at Station Yard in Dewsbury which started at about 14:30 BST on its peak, six fire crews and an aerial ladder were at the scene to tackle the blaze which had spread from 10 vehicles to 30 in about two hours, according to West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue had been "working hard in extremely hot conditions, using breathing apparatus and large jets to tackle the fire" and it was finally out at about 21:00 BST a spokesperson said. An investigation into the cause of the fire was under way, they added. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North
BBC News
12-05-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
East Sussex fire service investigating Newhaven scrap yard blaze
Fire crews say they are investigating a large fire at a scrap yard in the early hours of Monday Sussex Fire & Rescue Service said it was called to a waste site in North Quay in Newhaven shortly after midnight on 12 appliances were initially called to the scene of the large fire but the blaze has since been brought under control and the incident has been scaled back, the service site will be re-inspected this morning, a fire service spokesperson said.
