One person still missing after huge explosion and fire at industrial estate
At least one building has been completely destroyed and police have declared a major incident.
One person is still unaccounted for after an explosion and fire at an industrial estate in South Wales.
The fire broke out on the Treforest Industrial Estate at around 7pm last night, and since then at least one building has been completely destroyed and police declared a major incident.
Three people were treated at the scene by ambulance crews before being discharged, but while there have been no reports of serious injuries, there is still one person unaccounted for following the blast.
The fire appears to be out and now smouldering rather than actively burning, Good Morning Britain reports, following the huge blaze yesterday evening.
In a statement released last night, South Wales Fire and Rescue said the building which caught fire was ‘totally alight and at risk of collapse’.
The fire and explosion appeared to have originated at Mindset Gym, which is located in a large two-storey multi-use building called Rizla House.
People are being asked to avoid the area around Severn Road in Treforest as a number of roads have been closed.
Integer Telecom, a telecoms company, said in a Facebook post its building was destroyed in the explosion, adding: ‘All our staff are safe and unharmed and business will resume as normal.’
A woman who works at a tattoo studio at the industrial estate said the business has been ‘destroyed’ by the fire.
Tattoo artist Lucy Artiss, 40, who works at Sixteen Circles in Rizla House on Treforest Industrial Estate, said: ‘What I know is the explosion destroyed the entrance. Our tattoo shop is destroyed as well as the gym.
‘I left just before it happened so I didn’t witness it,’ she said, adding that her coworker, his client and gym staff ‘all managed to get out of the fire exit’.
She added: ‘It was a lovely place, had a wonderful family feel to it. I’m gutted to have lost that.’
Jonny Foxhall, 36, the owner of nearby music venue Green Rooms, said: ‘Our front door was flung open so we went out to see what had happened.
We could see a smoke cloud and an orange glow from above the treeline quickly followed by flames.
‘To feel the shockwave from the explosion is something I’ve never experienced before.’
This is a developing news story, more to follow soon… Check back shortly for further updates.
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