'We shouldn't have to pay': Residents call for clear-up help after underground fire

Coatbridge residents are calling for compensation to help them clear up the mess left behind by an underground fire which burned for six months.

North Lanarkshire Council has been battling the fire at the coal tip on Burleigh Street since July, which has left nearby homes and gardens covered in soot.

Now that the fire has been brought under control, work has begun to restore the embankment area and dismantle a historic railway structure that has been uncovered.

Local residents have welcomed the progress made in recent weeks, but are now concerned about the cost of the clear-up.

Alan Kane fears for the safety of his fish STV News

Alan Kane, who lives with terminal cancer, says calls from residents for council support have fallen on deaf ears.

“Thursday was really bad for soot and dust”, he told STV News.

“They dug something up, and the fire must’ve been inside because it was really bad.

“I was a bit worried about my fish; their water is usually clear, but it’s covered in soot and dust. We’re breathing all this in. I had cream and white stones in my garden, but they’re now black.

“You couldn’t see the machines through the dust.”

Alan's fish pond used to have clear water — Alan’s fish pond used to have clear water STV News

“I’ve got terminal cancer, which has nothing to do with what’s happened, but it brings me down not being able to go out or open my windows.

“The fire is out, but they’re trying their best to clear up. There has been progress. When they start to fill it all in again, we’re going to have all the dust.

Gardens have been left covered in soot and dust. STV News

“I thought the council would clear up, but we’ll have to clean it ourselves. They’ve now gone quiet on us.”

Isabella Meechan also fears she will be forced to shell out to get her garden back to its original state.

“The work itself has been amazing, the fire seems to be gone”, she explained.

“It’s all the clearing up now we’re going to have to do. We’re left with all the mess. I’m hoping they’ll help us clear it up.

“When you’ve been outside, the soles of your shoes are black. All the windows, the close, inside the bins, inside my shed. Everything is covered in the stuff.

“We deserve compensation. I’ve put a lot of work into painting my garden, but there’s no way I can get through all this on my own.

“I will need to hire someone, so it will cost me money.

“The clothes ropes will have to go as well. Hopefully we’ll get the washing out soon, we’ve not been able to do it since it started in July.”

The soot has changed the colour of garden stones STV News

In an update from January 23, North Lanarkshire Council said: “Progress on site has continued at pace, and we remain on track to fully extinguish the remaining smouldering area over the next couple of weeks.

“Our immediate priority has always been to safely stop the burning, and as we move towards completing this first phase, we are now turning our attention to the next stage, which is the safe remediation, restoration and future management of the embankment area.

“Plans and discussions for this next phase are already progressing, and we will keep residents living adjacent to the embankment fully informed as work to restore the area moves forward.

“Further investigations of the site will also be carried out to help us better understand the wider area. Ongoing geotechnical analysis of the excavated material has shown it to be consistent with colliery spoil.

“Air quality monitoring will continue and remains in line with expectations.”