Stafford Global Hygiene blaze: No further action to be taken against company

One of the biggest fires ever seen in Stafford broke out at the site in March 2016 and saw 40,000 litres of oil burst into flames.

Despite the firm, based at Astonfields Industrial Estate, having no permit for oil, the Environment Agency has confirmed that its investigation is complete and it will not pursue any case against the company over the incident, which is said was accidental.

Adam Lines, environment manager with the agency, said: “We are continuing to work in partnership with Global Hygiene and their consultants to clean up the site and any contaminates in the ground following the serious fire in March 2016.

“As a result of the accidental fire, oil stored at the site went into the ground, the Marston Brook and flowed into the River Sow and the River Trent.

“Action taken by the Environment Agency at the time of the fire minimised the impact of the fire on the brook and the rivers.

“The Environment Agency’s investigation into the incident is now complete, and no further action will be taken against Global Hygiene for the accidental fire.”

The EA confirmed the firm did not have a permit for oil but stated it could not determine if one was required, adding that a permit is only needed for ‘some activities’ concerning oil.

The agency said the site at Drummond Road is still not completely decontaminated and until it is, booms and pads on the surrounding waterways will remain in place to prevent further pollution to the water network.

More on this story:

• Major fire breaks out on Stafford industrial estate

• Seven months on, oil still seeps from wreckage of huge Stafford blaze

• Work begins on rebuilding fire-ravaged storage firm in Stafford

• Full impact of blaze revealed as ducks covered in oil and pollution miles away

• Blaze-hit firm had no oil storage licence

• Stafford Global Hygiene blaze site still not clear a year after fire

• We are victims of fire too, claim couple

Global Hygiene’s contractors are still assessing the extent of contamination but intended to develop a plan to restore the site.

Meanwhile the authority confirmed the neighbouring Goodwins plot was largely uncontaminated with it being reported last week that work has already started to rebuild the storage distribution warehouse which was also destroyed in the blaze.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined. Global Hygiene did not wish to comment.