AMBULANCE crews have now treated 13 people at the scene of a massive blaze that caused £6 million damage at a recycling centre.

The fire at the Jayplas recycling facility in Dartmouth Road, Smethwick, West Midlands, is believed to have been caused by a falling Chinese lantern and 12 of those treated by the West Midlands Ambulance Service are firefighters from the West Midlands Fire Service.

They have suffered a variety of minor injuries and the number taken to hospital remains at three.

A member of the public cut his leg climbing over a fence close to the scene while trying to get a closer look. His cut was dressed by ambulance staff and did not require hospital treatment.

A single paramedic from the service’s Hazardous Area Response Team remains on scene to provide immediate medical assistance should it be required.

Up to 200 firefighters were needed to tackle the fire at its height.

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has provided assistance, with three crews from north Worcestershire covering other stations on Sunday in case of other call outs and engines from Worcester, Droitwich and Bewdley fought the fire on Monday.

The blaze broke out at 11pm on Sunday and 100,000 tons of recycled plastic and paper burned within an area 300 metres square.