Four people are unaccounted for after two explosions and a fire at a mill in Bosley, Cheshire, say rescue services.
Three people have been taken to hospital with burns and a major incident has been declared around the site at Wood Flour Mills on Tunstall Road.
Specialist search teams are being used to locate the missing people and fire officials say there is the risk of further explosions.
Fire service teams said the scene was one of devastation when they arrived - a four-storey building had collapsed.
They say 20 people were working at the mill site at the time. Crews treated the walking wounded as the site was evacuated.
Chief fire officer Paul Hancock said: "We are still dealing with four unaccounted people. We believe they are somewhere in the building. We will endeavour to deal with that issue in a few hours time once we get the incident under full control."
A 29-year-old woman suffered serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.
She was flown to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, for further specialist treatment.
One person was flown by air ambulance to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester, with the other taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital, the North West Ambulance Service said.
A further 35 people have also been assessed at the scene by ambulance staff but were not injured.
People living nearby and a local school have been told to close their windows and doors because of smoke coming from the site, south of Macclesfield.
Witness Damian Malone told Sky News: "I heard this massive explosion, to find this big fireball rising from the building.
"The ground was actually shaking. It lasted for two, three or four minutes but as the ground seemed to settle there was another explosion on top of that and black smoke billowing out everywhere.
"The sound of the explosion was unreal, scary."
Local resident Charlotte Maher told Sky News: "We felt the house shake. We thought it was an earthquake. Then there was black smoke and we heard sirens.
"I got a call from my mum who works at Bosley (Primary) Schoool, and they'd had a visit from the police who told them there'd been a major incident and everyone should keep their windows and doors shut because of the smoke."
More than 40 pupils are at the school, which is about a mile from the explosion site
Student Charli Alston, 18, was walking her dog with a friend when she saw heard a "huge bang".
"It sounded like a thunder cloud," she said. "We didn't know what it was because it was sunny then. We looked over and there were massive plumes of flames. Almost as high as the hill next to it.
"I couldn't tell you how high the flames were, but I'd say a good 70 metres into the air. Huge. The sound was really really loud and there was loads of billowing black smoke.
"We phoned 999 straight away, because it was pretty terrifying watching it."
Fire officials say they were called to reports of an explosion at the mill at about 9.10am.
It said fire engines from Congleton, Bollington, Winsford, Crewe and Macclesfield attended, including an aerial appliance from Macclesfield and one from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
:: Cheshire Police say people worried about friends or relatives should call 101. The family meeting point will be Congleton Police Station.
No comments:
Post a Comment