SMOKE billowed over Alderney yesterday after a third blaze broke out at the Impot. Firemen were called to the scene shortly after 11am and had the situation under control within an hour.

The fire is believed to have been an accident, caused by a spark from the air-curtain burner, which set light to waste stockpiled next to it.

‘The burner hasn’t been used for over a week because of weather conditions,’ said Tim Birmingham, superintendent at the Public Works Department.

‘But I authorised the burning of animal carcasses yesterday morning. It’s an unfortunate accident and a shame, as we were just getting to the stage where the situation at the Impot was under control.’

He added that he was left with little choice but to burn yesterday morning, despite going against rules to burn only when the wind was offshore. But smoke could be seen blowing over the adjacent field where cows were grazing.

‘I planned it as carefully as I could, but we had to get rid of the animal carcasses. We had two choices – to burn or leave them piled up in a corner. We chose to burn, as there would have been a bigger health hazard if we’d just left them.’

Trevor Davenport, who could smell the smoke as far out as Fort Doyle, felt Alderney’s waste-management strategy was letting the island down and damaging people’s health.

‘We’re suffering and the States does not seem to care.

‘Its waste management is an absolute disaster. Since the air-curtain burner has been in place, the smell has been far worse.’

The third fire has made Guernsey’s Board of Health even more determined in its plans for legal action against Alderney.

And Tony Rowe, deputy chief environmental officer, hoped the pending court case would make the island reassess its waste-disposal strategy.

‘At the moment, Alderney is still set on finding an independent solution,’ he said.

‘But we have to look at it in a real-world scenario – the island is small and exporting would be the more viable option as it gets rid of the rubbish and will not pollute Alderney.’