Køge officials urged to prevent fires in scrap piles after recent incidents

Officials in Køge Municipality are urged to take action to prevent sudden fires in scrap piles. This call comes from Ken Kristensen, the first deputy mayor of Køge, following a fire that broke out in a scrap heap at Køge Harbor, which led to warnings about harmful smoke and disrupted train services.

In a prior incident in April, a fire on a ship at the harbor posed a threat to residents, raising concerns about the safety protocols in place for storing scrap materials. Kristensen emphasized the need for a review of these regulations to curb the risk of spontaneous fires, stating, “We must take this seriously. If the wind is right, smoke can spread over the city and contain toxic substances.”

As of Saturday morning, authorities have yet to determine the cause of the recent fire, with investigations ongoing. Thomas Elm Kampmann, director of Køge Harbor and the second deputy mayor, indicated that an assessment will be carried out next week. He reassured the public that the harbor follows all regulatory guidelines and is prepared to adapt operations if necessary as a result of these incidents.

Cleanup efforts are planned for Saturday, with hopes that the harbor can resume shipping scrap by early next week. Kampmann noted that quick detection of the recent fire allowed for a prompt response to mitigate its impact.