FIREFIGHTERS were forced to pump water from a reservoir as they spent almost a week tackling a fire at the UK's largest wood recycling centre.
Crews from across Barnsley were called to the Plevin factory, off the A616 at Crow Edge, to deal with smouldering piles of wood chippings.
The fire service, which were called to the incident at 4.45am on Saturday before leaving on Wednesday, used a hose to pump water more than three miles from Harden Reservoir, which resulted in a number of road closures.
Dunford Parish Council chairman Allen Pestell expressed concern about the wood piles more than six months ago and described them as 'a bonfire waiting to go off'.
He said: "It's exactly what I forecast, that's the problem.
"I feel now the fire brigade's been involved they will tell them they're stacking too much wood."
Some local residents feared smoke from the fire may have contained toxic chemicals but a spokesman for Plevin, which produces bio-mass fuel, said it was not an issue.
"We can confirm that a small amount of smouldering was discovered in a processed wood pile during routine checks," the spokesman said.
"We would like to reassure residents there is no cause for concern and apologise for any inconvenience caused."No one was injured during the incident.
