Chemical explosion at reported Veolia plant closes UK motorway

Chemical explosion at reported Veolia plant closes UK motorway

	Published : Mon, 02 Jul 2007 11:22 By : Agencies Print this Story

LONDON (Thomson Financial) - A chemical explosion at an industrial plant reportedly owned by French utility group Veolia Environnement closed a section of the M6 motorway in northwest England on Monday, emergency services said.

Firefighters were called after reports that chemical drums were exploding at the plant located next to the motorway near Preston in Lancashire.

According to the BBC website, the fire was sparked by chemicals which caught light at the Veolia Cleanaway site on the Red Scar industrial estate in Ribbleton, in the early hours of Monday. The BBC added that the fire had been brought under control by the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service.

Television pictures showed flames and thick smoke billowing into the sky. Local residents were advised to stay indoors and keep their windows closed, a fire service spokesman said. Some neighbouring schools closed.

'Approximately 62,000 litres of flammable waste liquid is burning,' said a spokesman. 'Attempts are being made to protect a large single-storey building containing a vast number of cylinders.'

There were no reports of casualties, and no indication the incident was connected to a terrorism security alert triggered in Britain over the weekend after three failed attacks in London and Glasgow.

A police spokeswoman said the motorway would be closed until the incident was dealt with.

'There is a significant amount of traffic building up in the affected area of the M6 and the M55. The closures put in place are likely to be in place for hours rather than minutes,' she said.

The M6 was closed between junctions 31 at Samlesbury and junction 32 at the M55 but reopened just after 1000 BST.

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