The £4million recycling plant went up in smoke on Monday June 9 after an inferno that burned through the night.

More than 50 fire fighters from across the county battled for 12 hours to douse flames at the County Oak amenity tip.

The fire gutted the 18 month old tip and sent a plume of acrid smoke billowing across Langley Green.

According to firefighters the blaze started in a household waste section of the site and quickly engulfed the entire building.

But some sources suggest that the inferno could have been sparked by discarded BBQ coals.

A West Sussex County Council spokesman said: "I know at the time of the fire there were several theories bouncing around about how the fire got started. "I know there were suggestions at the time that it could have been started by discarded BBQ coals.

"The fire service did a thorough investigation at the time but we have yet to see the results. When we do we'll be able to say with more certainty what caused the blaze."

Full story in the Observer

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