Councillor Lindsay Sharp, representative for Hampton Vale, made the call in the wake of a fire behind a block of flats on Peterfield Road, close to Domino’s.
The fire started amongst a pile of rubbish, which included a mattress and several household appliances, at the rear of the building. It then spread to the building itself and a nearby garage. No one was hurt in the incident and the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, most likely ignited by a discarded cigarette, but the dumped rubbish played a significant role in the fire starting and spreading.
A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “On Thursday (July 15) at 3.37pm, one crew from Dogsthorpe, one crew from Stanground, one crew from Yaxley and a crew from Whittlesey were called to reports of a flat fire on Petersfield Road, Hampton Vale.
“Crews arrived to find refuse on fire at the rear of flats, which had begun to spread to the building, and was affecting a garage nearby.
“Firefighters used two hose reels to extinguish the fire. All persons were accounted for.
“The cause of the fire is believed to be accidental and crews returned to their station by 6.20pm.”
Cllr Sharp has insisted that fly-tipping on open ground is not as prevalent in Hampton Vale as in other parts of the city but the area does suffer from a number of incidents directly outside properties.
Problems with discarded rubbish outside the blocks of flats that caught fire were reported to the landlords back in April.
The issue is believed to be a key driving force behind the Conservative group’s plan to introduce free bulky waste collections. As well as this, Cllr Sharp has backed calls for an increase in enforcement and prosecution in “trouble spots.”
He said: “Fly tipping on open ground is not a significant issue in Hampton unlike some areas of our city. However we do have a consistent number of incidents outside of properties, and in communal areas, that require clearing.
“These kinds of incidents show the blight this can have on the community. For me it’s about educating and removing any excuse; making disposal convenient and affordable where residents can take responsibility for their waste.
“That’s where the impending free bulk waste service will come in ensuring there is a convenient avenue for responsible disposal. Thereafter, enforcement and prosecution needs to be stepped up; something we are already considering in relation to ‘trouble spots’.”
