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| Fire rages at ex-ICI plant site | Fire rages at ex-ICI plant site |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A major operation has been launched after chemicals exploded at an industrial site in Ayrshire. | A major operation has been launched after chemicals exploded at an industrial site in Ayrshire. |
| More than 70 firefighters tackled a blaze at the former ICI factory in Stevenston, near Irvine. | |
| Residents have been urged to stay indoors and a 1km cordon has been put up around 200 houses, police said. There are no reports of injuries. | |
| Eyewitnesses told the BBC that flames reached 100ft into the air and could be seen from 10 miles away. | |
| The fire service said the blaze at the plant - which once made explosives - has been brought under control and no nearby residents have had to be evacuated. | The fire service said the blaze at the plant - which once made explosives - has been brought under control and no nearby residents have had to be evacuated. |
| 'Gas canisters' | 'Gas canisters' |
| James Smith, 54, who lives about half-a-mile from the blaze, described how he heard explosions and saw huge flames as the factory went up at about 8.30pm. | James Smith, 54, who lives about half-a-mile from the blaze, described how he heard explosions and saw huge flames as the factory went up at about 8.30pm. |
| He said: "It was enormous. The flames were a couple of hundred feet high. It was like a white flame. | He said: "It was enormous. The flames were a couple of hundred feet high. It was like a white flame. |
| "There were a couple of explosions, like gas canisters." | "There were a couple of explosions, like gas canisters." |
| John Wallace, 45, who lives 1km away from the Lundholm Road factory, was first alerted to the fire when a bright light drenched his living room. | John Wallace, 45, who lives 1km away from the Lundholm Road factory, was first alerted to the fire when a bright light drenched his living room. |
| The scene outside Mr Wallace's house | The scene outside Mr Wallace's house |
| "We thought it was a fire engine at first but I looked outside and saw these large flames leaping over the houses," he said. | "We thought it was a fire engine at first but I looked outside and saw these large flames leaping over the houses," he said. |
| "I probably heard about four or five explosions. My wife went and fetched her mother who lives in that direction as the heat and flames were very worrying." | "I probably heard about four or five explosions. My wife went and fetched her mother who lives in that direction as the heat and flames were very worrying." |
| He added that the flames seemed to die down after 45 minutes and that it was not the first time a fire had broke out at the factory. | He added that the flames seemed to die down after 45 minutes and that it was not the first time a fire had broke out at the factory. |
| "My wife's uncle, who was a fireman, died after being seriously injured in a explosion there," he added. "This plant produced a lot of explosives for the war." | "My wife's uncle, who was a fireman, died after being seriously injured in a explosion there," he added. "This plant produced a lot of explosives for the war." |
| Frank Chan was walking back to his bed and breakfast in nearby Ardeer when he heard the explosion. | Frank Chan was walking back to his bed and breakfast in nearby Ardeer when he heard the explosion. |
| "It was just after 8pm as I'd been shopping at Morrisons and I was the last to leave the shop," he said. | "It was just after 8pm as I'd been shopping at Morrisons and I was the last to leave the shop," he said. |
| "As I walked along I heard the explosion and saw the flames." | "As I walked along I heard the explosion and saw the flames." |
| Officers said that they are dealing with a chemical explosion involving flammable nitro-cellulose. | |
| Strathclyde Police added that the factory is now owned by a firm called Nobel Enterprises. | |
| The company specialises in nitro-cellulose, and its website says it produces the chemical for the inks and coatings market. |