Update – Friday 5 December 2025
It has been another challenging week on site, with changing ground conditions continuing to affect our work. Excavation efforts are ongoing, with additional heavy machinery onsite.
As we work south along the embankment, we are tracing the clay line and will soon create a fire break trench to prevent further spread. A change in the prevailing wind on Thursday caused some steam, smoke, and soot to drift towards nearby properties. We are adapting our work practices wherever possible when the wind shifts, including reallocating resources and using additional suppression techniques. Residents may notice increased steam when water suppression is used.
Composition analysis of excavated materials is ongoing, and much of the exposed material is consistent with burnt coal and oil shale, as expected by our geologists and scientific experts. Air quality monitoring continues to show levels within safe limits, and we hope to share some of these results on the webpage in the coming days once we have them collated.
Discussions with residents continue daily, and we thank everyone for their understanding. While extinguishing works remain our priority, we are also assessing options for the future restoration of the embankment once the smouldering has been fully resolved.
Safety continues to be paramount, and we remind the public to stay well clear of the fenced-off site.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – Friday 28 November
It’s been another busy week on site, with two excavators now operating to help accelerate extinguishing work. Significant amounts of material have been removed, and residents will notice how much the embankment continues to change as levels are steadily reduced.
As we work deeper, we’re encountering more clay, which is very encouraging as this material is non-combustible. We’re also uncovering ash from areas that have already burnt out underground, along with shale and colliery spoil. This is what our geotechnical specialists expected at this stage. Hot spots are still being found, but this remains normal as deeper layers are exposed.
Air-quality monitoring remains in place across the site, and all readings continue to show levels well within safe limits. The additional machinery is helping us manage space more efficiently and keep excavation of smouldering material moving without interruption.
The site is evolving quickly, and while this progress is positive, it also means ground conditions can be unstable. Heavy machinery is operating throughout the day, and deep excavations are now present across large sections of the embankment. For everyone’s safety, we must again emphasise that members of the public stay well clear of the fenced-off area. The barriers are there to protect you, and no-one should enter the site under any circumstances.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – Friday 21 November
Thank you to everyone who attended this week’s Community Board meeting. We’re grateful for the constructive feedback, questions and support shared on the night, and we will continue to build this into our ongoing work.
Our focus over the past few days has been shifting the previously excavated and cooled 2,000 tonnes of material from the back of the embankment. This has allowed us to create safe cooling and laydown areas, giving our specialist contractors more space as they prepare to increase excavation in the coming days.
A particularly encouraging development is that we have now begun to reach clay layers within the excavation area. This is a significant milestone. Clay contains no combustible material, meaning the fire will be unable to move beyond these areas. Reaching this natural barrier is an important step towards fully resolving this complex situation.
From early next week, we expect to step up excavation of the smouldering materials once again, and nearby residents will see a noticeable increase in activity. Composition analysis of excavated materials is also continuing to help guide our response and planning.
As we gradually change the height of the embankment, this will hopefully lessen the amount of smoke and steam as deeper material is brought to the surface, particularly with the current freezing temperatures. Air-quality and particulate-matter monitoring remains in place around the site, and levels continue to be well within safe limits.
Residents living close to the site will continue to see significant progress. The buried railway structures uncovered in earlier stages remain challenging, but work is ongoing and will not prevent us from moving forward. We also heard residents’ concerns about the historic maintenance of the sloped area. While this was previously wild ground that we would not normally maintain, we agreed that as part of reinstatement works, we will look at residents’ suggestions to rework the banking area.
We would again emphasise the importance of staying away from the site. This remains an active fire, and ground conditions are unstable due to the depth of excavation and heavy machinery in operation. The fencing around the area is there to protect the public, and everyone should keep well clear for their own safety.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – Friday 14 November 2025
Work has continued at pace this week, as we move deeper into the excavation and extinguishing phase.
Around 2,000 tonnes of material have now been removed from the embankment area, and our specialist contractors have reached depths of approximately 8 metres in the north-east corner. Residents living closest to the site will have noticed just how much the landscape has changed as we work methodically to expose and cool the underground smouldering.
As expected, deeper excavation is producing increased smoke and steam – residents may notice plumes as the heavy machinery extracts smouldering materials, although this quickly subsides as it is removed. Weather conditions, along with changes in wind direction, can affect how noticeable this is around nearby homes. Air quality monitoring continues to show levels well within safe limits. Additional water is being used for dust suppression and cooling, and sand continues to be effective where required.
We may bring in additional machinery if required to speed up excavation and expand the space available for safe cooling of materials. Weekend working will continue to help maintain momentum.
Specialist geologists remain onsite monitoring the stability of the embankment. Further drone and thermal imaging surveys have taken place, with more planned as the excavation progresses. Our contractors are also installing additional air-quality monitoring next week to give us an even more detailed picture of conditions as work intensifies.
As mentioned previously, during the excavation, our team uncovered what appears to be a historic railway weighbridge, consistent with old maps of the site and the industrial legacy of the area. While this presents an extra challenge, it has not halted progress so far.
Today, local councillors Tracy Carragher, Geraldine Woods and the area’s MSP Fulton MacGregor visited the site to see the substantial progress made so far. Experts also took time to chat with nearby residents today, and we’re grateful for their honest feedback and continued support. We truly appreciate everyone’s patience as we work carefully toward a full and long-term resolution of this complex situation.
Weekly meetings continue with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, who remain satisfied with the progress and the safety measures in place.
The excavated material is still reaching very high temperatures, and with heavy machinery operating on site every day, it is absolutely vital that no unauthorised individuals attempt to access the area. The fencing is in place to protect the public, and we urge everyone to stay well clear for their own safety. We will continue to provide updates as progress continues.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – Friday 7 November 2025
Work continues to move forward at Burleigh Street, with steady and significant progress being made over the past week as we work to fully extinguish the underground smouldering.
Our specialist contractors have now excavated material to a depth of around 2.5 metres and approximately 60 metres in length along the embankment. Around 100 tonnes of material have already been moved as part of this carefully managed process. As expected, the excavated material is showing high temperatures, but cooling is progressing well through a combination of dousing and natural weather conditions.
Recent wet weather has helped with cooling, although it has also made ground conditions softer and created more visible steam as hot material is exposed. Residents may notice increased smoke or steam at times, and this is to be expected and does not indicate any worsening of the situation. Air quality remains stable and within safe limits.
Experts continue to monitor the embankment closely, and we remain confident that the area is stable and secure. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have been on site again this week and are satisfied with progress and the ongoing safety measures in place.
We’re also continuing with regular sampling and independent testing of the excavated materials to guide the works. Some remnants of historic structures have been uncovered, which aligns with old maps of the area, but this has not affected progress.
Sand suppression continues to be used where needed, and weekend working will now begin to help accelerate progress. Thermal imaging and surveying are ongoing to monitor progress and plan the next stages.
We’re making steady, methodical progress towards fully extinguishing the smouldering and delivering a safe, long-term solution for the site and we will continue to keep you updated as progress continues.
We remind everyone to stay well clear of the site for their own safety as these important works continue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – Friday 31 October 2025
Steady progress continues to be made on site at Burleigh Street as work advances to safely extinguish the underground smouldering.
Excavation and extinguishing work began on Wednesday 29 October, following completion of the ground preparation works needed to allow heavy machinery access. Our specialist contractors have started work on the north-east section of the site, marking a significant step forward in the operation.
Ground conditions are challenging, with heavy clay and waterlogged areas slowing progress slightly. However, our teams are continuing to make steady headway. As excavation continues, residents may notice an increase in steam or smoke from the works. This is expected and does not indicate any deterioration in conditions, and air quality monitoring continues to show levels remain well within safe limits.
Current wet weather conditions are assisting efforts to cool and extinguish the smouldering material, meaning that additional water dousing has not yet been required. As operations increase in pace, water suppression will be used where needed, and we are working closely with Scottish Fire and Rescue Service experts on site to plan these activities safely and ensure full environmental containment.
Sand continues to be used effectively to suppress any areas of above-ground burning, while geotechnical analysis of the excavated materials is underway to assess whether they can be safely compacted and replaced on site without risk of future re-ignition or contamination concerns.
Further thermal imaging will take place next week (week commencing 3 November) to monitor site temperatures and guide the next stages of work. These combined efforts will inform how long this phase will take to complete, but we remain confident that we are moving steadily toward a full and lasting resolution.
------------------------------------------------------
Update - Friday 24 October 2025
Significant progress has been made on site this week as preparations continue to safely extinguish the underground smouldering at Burleigh Street.
The construction of the temporary access road is almost complete, allowing our specialist contractors to reach the affected area directly and prepare for the next key stage of the operation. Excavation and extinguishing work will begin early next week (week commencing 27 October).
While the exact timescale for completing this work will depend on conditions as excavation progresses, we are confident that we are now moving quickly towards a full resolution.
The smouldering material will be carefully excavated and dowsed with water in a specially prepared area next to the site. No materials will be taken off-site at this time, and full containment and run-off protection measures will be in place throughout. Additional sand has already been brought to the site and will continue to be used to suppress smoke or smouldering, a method that has proven effective so far.
Thermal imaging will continue to be carried out regularly to map progress and ensure the area remains fully contained. The latest air monitoring samples continue to show that levels remain well within safe limits, and our contractors and geotechnical specialists remain on site daily, with regular meetings taking place with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as part of the process.
We want to thank nearby residents once again for their continued patience and understanding during this complex situation.
Some further vegetation removal has been necessary to complete the access route and allow safe movement of equipment. We are always reluctant to remove trees unless unavoidable, and we recognise how important local greenery and wildlife are to the community. Once the site is fully remediated and made safe, we will look at options to restore the area and replace lost vegetation wherever practical.
------------------------------------------------------
Update – Wednesday 15 October 2025
Work to build a new temporary access road to the site will begin this week. You may see more activity in the area as vegetation is cleared to make way for the road.
Specialist contractors will also be on site to carry out further groundworks, undertaking testing and analysis of the composition of the burning materials. This will take around three days and will continue to inform our next steps in terms of the safe remediation of the land.
Towards the end of this week, further vegetation clearance will take place on the site to make way for the access road. We expect this to take about five days.
Once the road is finished, we’ll continue with the next stage of work and the results from the groundworks testing will help us decide the best way to extinguish the fire safely.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Update – 10 October 2025
Work continues at Burleigh Street as we make steady progress toward resolving the underground smouldering and delivering a long-term solution for the site.
Our specialist contractors are continuing on site, supported by technical experts who are closely monitoring conditions. The smouldering continues to be contained within the affected area, and air quality monitoring confirms that levels remain safe.
Preparations are now being made to create a new access road into the site to support ongoing works, which will begin shortly. Further vegetation clearance is also planned to help with safe site access and to allow our teams to continue investigations efficiently.
Specialist testing and analysis of materials already removed from the site is underway, helping to inform the next stage of our remediation plan. These investigations will guide the approach needed to fully extinguish the smouldering area and ensure the site remains stable and secure.
We appreciate residents’ patience and understanding while this complex work continues. Regular monitoring and safety checks remain in place, and we’ll continue to keep you updated as progress is made.
