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| Steel plant explosion: Two burned at Tata in Port Talbot | Steel plant explosion: Two burned at Tata in Port Talbot |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Two workers suffered burns in an early hours explosion at Tata's biggest steelworks plant in the UK. | Two workers suffered burns in an early hours explosion at Tata's biggest steelworks plant in the UK. |
| Residents living near the Port Talbot plant heard a "massive" blast shortly after 03:30 BST. | Residents living near the Port Talbot plant heard a "massive" blast shortly after 03:30 BST. |
| Images and footage posted on social media showed a huge mushroom cloud and plumes of smoke rising above the plant. | Images and footage posted on social media showed a huge mushroom cloud and plumes of smoke rising above the plant. |
| Tata Steel said the explosion came from a train carrying molten metal. It said the workers had received treatment for minor injuries. | Tata Steel said the explosion came from a train carrying molten metal. It said the workers had received treatment for minor injuries. |
| "The spillage led to a number of fires which were extinguished by our own emergency services supported by members of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service," it said in a statement. | "The spillage led to a number of fires which were extinguished by our own emergency services supported by members of the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service," it said in a statement. |
| BBC Wales understands the explosion happened on a stretch of railway track between the engineering shops and the locomotive repair shops. | BBC Wales understands the explosion happened on a stretch of railway track between the engineering shops and the locomotive repair shops. |
| Stephen Davies from the Unite union believed a train - carrying a "torpedo" which holds the molten metal - derailed, leading to the metal coming into contact with cold water. | Stephen Davies from the Unite union believed a train - carrying a "torpedo" which holds the molten metal - derailed, leading to the metal coming into contact with cold water. |
| He said: "They [the men] were both on the train. One of them is close to retirement and the other is younger." | He said: "They [the men] were both on the train. One of them is close to retirement and the other is younger." |
| One of them had a burn to the head and the other to the chest, he added. | One of them had a burn to the head and the other to the chest, he added. |
| The site reopened by 07:00 although production at blast furnaces four and five have been halted until all checks had been completed, Mr Davies said. | The site reopened by 07:00 although production at blast furnaces four and five have been halted until all checks had been completed, Mr Davies said. |
| Lance Davies, 36, who lives at the highest point in the town overlooking it and the steelworks, said it was a "miracle" no-one was killed. | Lance Davies, 36, who lives at the highest point in the town overlooking it and the steelworks, said it was a "miracle" no-one was killed. |
| "I was woken up this morning by what sounded like thunder. I went to the window and could see the results of the first explosion, then I called my partner and saw the other two," he added. | "I was woken up this morning by what sounded like thunder. I went to the window and could see the results of the first explosion, then I called my partner and saw the other two," he added. |
| "That was all you could see - it was like a scene from Independence Day - a big ball of flame, followed by a massive mushroom of smoke. It was unbelievable." | "That was all you could see - it was like a scene from Independence Day - a big ball of flame, followed by a massive mushroom of smoke. It was unbelievable." |
| Sharon Freeguard, a Neath Port Talbot councillor, said: "I thought I heard about two to three explosions. It was extremely frightening. | Sharon Freeguard, a Neath Port Talbot councillor, said: "I thought I heard about two to three explosions. It was extremely frightening. |
| "The house just shook, so it was quite alarming. Once it was over, I did wonder what it was and just did think about the works. | "The house just shook, so it was quite alarming. Once it was over, I did wonder what it was and just did think about the works. |
| "We're just all relieved that there are no fatalities." | "We're just all relieved that there are no fatalities." |
| Local resident Craig Williams said he heard "an almighty bang", adding: "It's very unusual to hear something of that magnitude. | Local resident Craig Williams said he heard "an almighty bang", adding: "It's very unusual to hear something of that magnitude. |
| "The house shook a little. It's not something we are accustomed to." | "The house shook a little. It's not something we are accustomed to." |
| Mr Williams said Port Talbot "revolves around this plant" and it helps to "bring the community together". | Mr Williams said Port Talbot "revolves around this plant" and it helps to "bring the community together". |
| The steelworks is the largest in the UK and employs more than 4,000 people. | The steelworks is the largest in the UK and employs more than 4,000 people. |
| Helicopters were circling overhead and South Wales Police said it received "numerous calls" shortly after 03:30 "reporting an explosion" which, they said, had caused damage to some buildings on the site. | Helicopters were circling overhead and South Wales Police said it received "numerous calls" shortly after 03:30 "reporting an explosion" which, they said, had caused damage to some buildings on the site. |
| Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said 10 appliances it sent to the scene had left by 08:40. The Health and Safety Executive added it would be making contact with the emergency services. | Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said 10 appliances it sent to the scene had left by 08:40. The Health and Safety Executive added it would be making contact with the emergency services. |
| The explosion was heard as far away as Bridgend, 14 miles (22km) from the blast, and the National Police Air Service's St Athan wing confirmed a helicopter had been scrambled to the scene. | The explosion was heard as far away as Bridgend, 14 miles (22km) from the blast, and the National Police Air Service's St Athan wing confirmed a helicopter had been scrambled to the scene. |
| Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock said safety at the plant had improved "massively" since 2001, when three workers were killed in a blast. | Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock said safety at the plant had improved "massively" since 2001, when three workers were killed in a blast. |
| He said he had spoken with Tata bosses on Friday and was told a review was under way into the cause. | He said he had spoken with Tata bosses on Friday and was told a review was under way into the cause. |
| "We've got to understand why it happened and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. | "We've got to understand why it happened and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. |
| Aberavon AM David Rees has also requested a meeting with the steel firm. | Aberavon AM David Rees has also requested a meeting with the steel firm. |
| A spokesman for union Community said: "It is important that all appropriate procedures are followed now to ensure lessons are learnt and any necessary changes are implemented." | A spokesman for union Community said: "It is important that all appropriate procedures are followed now to ensure lessons are learnt and any necessary changes are implemented." |
| In an updated statement on Friday evening, Tata Steel said it was in contact with its two employees who had "suffered minor injuries and received treatment". | In an updated statement on Friday evening, Tata Steel said it was in contact with its two employees who had "suffered minor injuries and received treatment". |
| "We are investigating the cause of the incident and are working closely with relevant agencies including the Health and Safety Executive," it said. | "We are investigating the cause of the incident and are working closely with relevant agencies including the Health and Safety Executive," it said. |
| "Customer orders have been unaffected and we continue to supply steel to both customers and our downstream businesses by using existing stocks. | "Customer orders have been unaffected and we continue to supply steel to both customers and our downstream businesses by using existing stocks. |
| "Meanwhile, we are working towards bringing at least one of the two blast furnaces back online." | |
| In a further message on its Facebook page, Tata Steel warned residents the work "may result in some noise and steam from the furnace". | |
| "This is completely normal for this type of operation," it said. |