FOUR fire trucks are today (Tuesday) being used to continue fighting a blaze which broke out at a wood recycling business near the A414/St Albans Road at the weekend.

A spokesman for Herts county council (HCC) said he was unsure how long firefighters would remain at Wood Recycling Services on Appspond Lane, Potters Crouch, St Albans.

The fire is still having an impact on motorists, who are struggling with lengthy traffic tailbacks in and around St Albans as a result of ongoing road closures because smoke is hampering visibility.

The HCC spokesman did not know how much of the massive wood stack was on fire, or whether there would be an investigation into the cause of the blaze which broke out “in a very large pile of recycled timber” at midnight on Saturday, November 10.

He said crews at the site are using a water jet to stop the fire from spreading. The firefighters were there overnight, working round the clock.

“The National Grid is also on site, making safe the overhead power lines.”

Road closures are still in force for the safety of the public: the A414 in St Albans, both ways between A405 Park Street roundabout and M1 J7; A4147/Hemel Hempstead Road St Albans – both ways between King Harry Lane and the A414/Breakspear Way.

It is still anticipated that the road closures could remain in place until mid-week.

The following diversion route is still in place: A414 St Albans Road, A414 Two Waters Way, A41 Watford Road, A41 Gadeside, A405 North Orbital Road.

Meanwhile, St Albans fire service has left the scene of another huge fire in the district at the weekend.

Crews spent yesterday dampening down “hot spots” in the remains of the blaze at Glinwell Nursery, Hatfield Road, which broke out in thousands of plastic trays on pallets around midday in Smallford on Sunday November 11.