Fire update - person still missing in blaze which will take days to put out completely
ONE person still remains unaccounted for following a large fire at an industrial site in Leamington, Warwickshire Police said this evening (Friday).
Emergency services were called to Leeson Polyurethanes on Juno Drive at about 10.30am following reports of a huge smoke cloud.
Nearby properties were evacuated as firefighters started to tackle the fire.
There were also reports of explosions coming from the scene.
Chief fire officer Barnaby Briggs, of Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service, said the explosions were caused by vats of chemicals.
He added that the blaze had been contained, but it would take several days to put out completely.
This evening police gave an update on the situation.
Superintendent Mike Smith said: “As it stands at this moment in time there is one person unaccounted for.
“That person works at the premises that caught fire. We do not know at this moment in time what has happened to that person.
“But all other persons from that premises we believe are all accounted for.”
He added: “All will have seen there has been a smoke cloud over Leamington today. We have evacuated everyone within 100m of the fire and our advice, on the advice of Public Health England and the fire service, is that everyone within 500m of the fire should continue to remain indoors with windows and doors closed.”
Earlier local resident Shehnaz Khan, 29, who lives about a mile away from the site, said she did not hear the initial explosion but quickly noticed the smoke.
She said: “Popped into the garden, looked up and saw clouds of smoke bigger than anything I’ve seen before in Leamington.
“Leamington is such a quiet town, nothing like this ever happens at all… I’ve lived here nearly 30 years, since I was born, and it’s the quietest town.
“There’s so much smoke, honestly… it just looks like it’s gone all the way up to the clouds.”
The Environment Agency said its officers were supporting the emergency response , aiming to minimise the impact from pollution.
Leeson Polyurethanes is described as a leading manufacturer of polyurethane adhesives and coatings.
