Residents evacuated as fire breaks out in Cambridgeshire garage
Fire crews from across Cambridgeshire were called to a fire which broke out in a commercial garage in the early hours of 10th October.
A cordon of around 200 meters was put in place around the Milestone Motor Company in Manor Farm. Many residents in Gravely had to be evacuated at around 3.30am as firefighters feared gas cylinders stored in the garage may explode.
A spokesperson from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Due to the cylinders involved, the fire service put a 200 metre cordon in place and police alerted residents within the cordon, some of which were evacuated. Other residents who are less at risk were advised of the situation.”
Crews from Papworth, St Neots, Huntingdon, St Ives and Ramsey fire stations attended the incident.
There were no casualties reported in the incident.
Serious injuries in Croydon Police Station explosion
Around 50 firefighters, three ambulances and an air ambulance helicopter attended an explosion at Croydon police station at 11.20am Tuesday March 20. Fire fighters from 10 crews fought for around 2 hours to prevent the fire spreading.
Tej Ajimal from the London Fire Brigade said: “Crews worked hard to bring the fire under control and managed to contain it to the basement area and stop it from spreading to the rest of the police station.”
Four contractors from Vinci Construction UK were working in the basement at the time of the blast. One of the men was airlifted to a specialist unit at the Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford suffering from severe burns and a second man was taken to St George’s Hospital with burns to his face and arms.
Several others received treatment for minor burns and smoke inhalation.
A spokesman for the police said that the explosion happened in the basement firing range which had been decommissioned during the current refurbishment.
A spokesman for Vinci Construction said: “Vinci Construction UK is gravely concerned about the welfare and safety of the construction workers and others affected by this incident and has been working with all emergency services throughout the day to secure the scene of the incident. We are working with the HSE in their ongoing investigation to understand the cause of the explosion.”
Chief Superintendent, Dave Musker said: “Seven people have been injured and five have been taken to hospital. While two are thought to be seriously injured. We want to reassure the public we continue to provide fully operational services to the community of Croydon. Our thoughts and wishes are with those injured.”
Health and Safety Executive are investigating the cause of the incident.
2 men injured in ex-colliery explosion
Two security guards are in a serious condition in hospital after being injured in an explosion at an ex-colliery.
The explosion happened at the former Welbeck Colliery in Nottinghamshire, on the evening of Saturday 31st December.
The men suffered serious facial burns and are in a critical but stable condition at Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “It is understood that the men were working at the site as security personnel. Detectives are liaising with the site owners, UK Coal, with the fire service and the Health and Safety Executive to determine the sequence of events leading up to the incident.”
A spokeswoman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service added: “The fire itself was very small. The main issue was the explosion itself and the two people injured.”
An investigation is now underway to determine the exact cause of the explosion.
Cornwall house destroyed in explosion
A man from Truro has been charged with arson endangering life after a house in Cornwall was destroyed in a huge explosion.
The explosion happened at a house in Bodmin, at 9pm on 18th October.
24 firefighters battled the blaze for several hours at the detached house in Margaret Crescent.
Lee Griffin from the fire service said: “The front of the house was actually lying in the front garden. With the force of the explosion and the immediate residences in the area it is amazing no one was injured.”
Nearby homes were left without an electricity supply
It has been reported that the house was empty at the time of the blast, and that no one was injured.
An investigation is now being carried out to determine the cause of the explosion.
Waste control companies fined more than £200k
Two waste control companies have been fined after a major chemical fire in Crewe.
Greenway Environmental Ltd and waste shredder manufacturer, Pakawaste Ltd, were sentenced at Chester Crown Court on 28th July and ordered to pay a total of £224,530.
The fine is in relation to an explosion and fire at Aztec Aerosols on the Gateway Industrial Estate on 4 June 2007.
The fire was caused by an explosion in aerosol-shredding equipment. More than 100 firefighters attended the scene.
The HSE said: “Many of the aerosols shot into the air and onto nearby roads after setting alight, and neighbouring buildings were damaged. A 200-metre exclusion zone was set up while fire crews brought the blaze under control, and explosions of drums and cylinders could be heard more than half a mile away.”
The investigation by the HSE found that the machine had not been designed to safely shred waste containers with residues of flammable liquids and gases. It should have been operated in a separate area away from any flammable substances.
Greenway Environmental was fined £37,500 and ordered to pay costs of £50,000 and Pakawaste was fined £50,000, with costs of £87,030.