Drones assist firefighting efforts at Sydney recycling plant

After a recycling plant in Sydney’s west went up in flames earlier this week, Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) utilised a fleet of specialist drones during its emergency response.

The fire broke out at the recycling plant in Christie Street, St Marys, at around 1.45 pm on 4 February. At the peak of the blaze, 100 firefighters and 20 fire trucks were deployed around the site, where they witnessed fireballs reaching up to 60 metres in height. Gas bottles and stocks of chemicals were engulfed in flames, posing a hazardous materials threat as numerous explosions occurred.

To assist with operations, FRNSW’s Aviation Unit used remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), or drones, to assist with situational awareness and to ensure firefighter safety. Two drones were positioned on opposite sides of the fire to track fire spread, size and intensity, while a third drone captured water runoff.

The information provided by the drones helped to assess the effectiveness of water streams on the fire, prevent unnecessary water use and adjust firefighting strategy. A larger drone was also deployed over the recycling facility to assist with monitoring air quality.

Due to the intensity of the blaze, it was unsafe for firefighters to enter the building. An indoor drone was flown into the main warehouse and its live footage was streamed to incident commanders to assess the extent of the fire as well as to confirm that firefighters were directing water streams in the most effective areas. This drone was later utilised to verify that the fire was extinguished and that firefighters could safely enter the building.

In the aftermath of the fire, the drones were used for damage assessments and clean-up activities in conjunction with the NSW Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), helping to map, monitor and contain the flow of water runoff in the local environment and minimise the overall impacts. The indoor drone was used to inspect canisters, containers and drums to determine which materials were impacted, and to ensure no personnel enter hazardous zones unnecessarily.

“The drone technology is a real game changer — not only for the safety of our firefighters but for the broader community,” said Michael Morris, FRNSW Assistant Commissioner Metropolitan Operations.

“The drones help guide effective decision-making in where to put the water streams to extinguish the fire quicker as well as prevent excessive water runoff.

“Our remarkable drone technology has played a major role in our ability to contain and ultimately extinguish this fire.”

Images courtesy Fire and Rescue NSW