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Major fire at gas-fired Didcot B power station | Major fire at gas-fired Didcot B power station |
(35 minutes later) | |
Fire crews are battling a major blaze at Didcot B Power Station, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue has said. | |
Twenty fire appliances are at the scene, which broke out in one of the cooling towers. | |
Energy company RWE npower, which owns the gas-burning power station, has said the fire is now under control and there have been no injuries. | |
Police have warned local people to stay indoors and close their doors and windows. | Police have warned local people to stay indoors and close their doors and windows. |
A spokesman for the power firm said: "We can confirm that no one is injured which is clearly the most important thing and also that the fire is now under control. | |
"Obviously the plant has been shut down." | |
He said it was "too early to say" how much damage had been caused, adding that there would have been "about a dozen" people on site when the fire broke out. | |
Georgina Miles, who lives half a mile away, said the fire was "huge" but the flames had become smaller since firefighters had arrived. | Georgina Miles, who lives half a mile away, said the fire was "huge" but the flames had become smaller since firefighters had arrived. |
"It was pretty dramatic; there was a lot of damage," Ms Miles said. | |
Zainab Mirmalek, who lives opposite the power station, said: "There's lots of water gushing down on it, lots of smoke and steam but the fire is definitely under control now." | |
Fellow Didcot resident Leila Qureshi said: "We got quite near before the road was shut. | |
"The fire was ferocious. You could feel the heat and smell it." | |
Emergency service personnel from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) have all been called in to help with the blaze. | Emergency service personnel from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, Thames Valley Police and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) have all been called in to help with the blaze. |
The power station has been in operation since 1997 and can supply power to up to one million homes, according to RWE npower. | |
The neighbouring coal-powered Didcot A power station was closed last year. | The neighbouring coal-powered Didcot A power station was closed last year. |
Hundreds of people gathered to watch when three of its enormous cooling towers were demolished in July. | Hundreds of people gathered to watch when three of its enormous cooling towers were demolished in July. |
Are you in the area? If you are willing to be interviewed about this please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your phone number. | Are you in the area? If you are willing to be interviewed about this please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your phone number. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.ukor text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.ukor text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (international). Or you can upload here. |
Read the terms and conditions. | Read the terms and conditions. |