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| Version 11 | Version 12 |
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| Man injured in oil tank explosion | Man injured in oil tank explosion |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A man is being treated for burns after he was blown off an oil tank as it exploded and burst into flames at a Kent engineering company. | A man is being treated for burns after he was blown off an oil tank as it exploded and burst into flames at a Kent engineering company. |
| Witnesses reported seeing huge flames rising into the air at the height of the blaze at the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate on the Hoo peninsula. | Witnesses reported seeing huge flames rising into the air at the height of the blaze at the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate on the Hoo peninsula. |
| Nine staff were on the premises at the time of the blast but there were no other injuries. | Nine staff were on the premises at the time of the blast but there were no other injuries. |
| The injured man was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital with minor injuries. | The injured man was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital with minor injuries. |
| Three tanks | Three tanks |
| Police said the industrial estate and businesses in the area were evacuated and an exclusion zone put in place around the scene of the fire. | Police said the industrial estate and businesses in the area were evacuated and an exclusion zone put in place around the scene of the fire. |
| Householders living around the site were told to stay indoors with the windows closed as a precautionary measure. | Householders living around the site were told to stay indoors with the windows closed as a precautionary measure. |
| Ch Insp Peter Wedlake, of Kent Police, said the smoke was unpleasant to breathe in, but it was not dangerous. | Ch Insp Peter Wedlake, of Kent Police, said the smoke was unpleasant to breathe in, but it was not dangerous. |
| Although crews remained at the scene, the blaze had been brought under control by mid-afternoon. | Although crews remained at the scene, the blaze had been brought under control by mid-afternoon. |
| Roads surrounding the area were later reopened and the cordon scaled down. | Roads surrounding the area were later reopened and the cordon scaled down. |
| Nine staff were on the premises at the time | Nine staff were on the premises at the time |
| Kent Fire and Rescue said the explosion had involved three tanks - one water tank and two tanks containing used engine oil. | Kent Fire and Rescue said the explosion had involved three tanks - one water tank and two tanks containing used engine oil. |
| Each is about 16ft (4.8m) in diameter and height. | Each is about 16ft (4.8m) in diameter and height. |
| Spokesman Bill Feeley said when firefighters arrived at the scene they found 200,000 litres of heavy oil alight. | Spokesman Bill Feeley said when firefighters arrived at the scene they found 200,000 litres of heavy oil alight. |
| "What we were dealing with was a massive chip pan - the whole surface area of the oil inside the tank was on fire and heating the metal tank," he said. | |
| The fire service said one oil tank had ruptured, but had been surrounded by a barrier to stop the oil from spreading while the second tank was being cooled. | The fire service said one oil tank had ruptured, but had been surrounded by a barrier to stop the oil from spreading while the second tank was being cooled. |
| BBC South East news reporter Simon Jones, who is at the scene, said at the height of the blaze a huge amount of smoke from the incident had formed a blanket over the whole area. | BBC South East news reporter Simon Jones, who is at the scene, said at the height of the blaze a huge amount of smoke from the incident had formed a blanket over the whole area. |
| Local resident, Sam Kitto, said she thought a plane had crashed when she heard the explosion. | Local resident, Sam Kitto, said she thought a plane had crashed when she heard the explosion. |
| "I felt the ground moving as well," she added. | "I felt the ground moving as well," she added. |
| At least 15 fire appliances and support vehicles were sent to the scene. | At least 15 fire appliances and support vehicles were sent to the scene. |
| The Environment Agency said water used to put out the fire had contaminated a 300m (984ft) stretch of the water course. | The Environment Agency said water used to put out the fire had contaminated a 300m (984ft) stretch of the water course. |
| A further 150,000 litres (33,000 gallons) of contaminated water had been contained on site. | A further 150,000 litres (33,000 gallons) of contaminated water had been contained on site. |
| Officers would be working over the weekend to clean up the area and avoid any further pollution. | Officers would be working over the weekend to clean up the area and avoid any further pollution. |
| The cause of the explosion is not yet known. | The cause of the explosion is not yet known. |