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| Major fire at gas-fired Didcot B power station | Major fire at gas-fired Didcot B power station |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Fire crews have been battling a major blaze at Didcot B Power Station, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue has said. | Fire crews have been battling a major blaze at Didcot B Power Station, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue has said. |
| At the height of the fire, which broke out in one of the cooling towers, 20 fire appliances were at the scene | |
| 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. | 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. |
| The plant was shut down and all areas isolated before crews moved in to tackle the fire. | The plant was shut down and all areas isolated before crews moved in to tackle the fire. |
| Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "First, I want to thank the emergency services who are at Didcot working to tackle the blaze. | Energy Secretary Ed Davey said: "First, I want to thank the emergency services who are at Didcot working to tackle the blaze. |
| "I've been reassured by National Grid that there is no risk to electricity supplies. I will be keeping in touch with the relevant authorities throughout. | "I've been reassured by National Grid that there is no risk to electricity supplies. I will be keeping in touch with the relevant authorities throughout. |
| "My priority is to understand the cause of the fire and get the affected unit back generating electricity as soon as it's safe to do so." | "My priority is to understand the cause of the fire and get the affected unit back generating electricity as soon as it's safe to do so." |
| Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue's chief fire officer Dave Etheridge said: "We've currently got 12 fire engines in attendance, that's over 60 firefighters - and we've also got three hydraulic platforms so we can work at height putting water down on to the fire. | Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue's chief fire officer Dave Etheridge said: "We've currently got 12 fire engines in attendance, that's over 60 firefighters - and we've also got three hydraulic platforms so we can work at height putting water down on to the fire. |
| "We've been working very closely as well with the site management from Didcot Power Station to make sure it was shut down. | "We've been working very closely as well with the site management from Didcot Power Station to make sure it was shut down. |
| "I'm sure you can appreciate that water and electricity don't mix so we need to make sure that it's safe for our firefighters to fight the fire." | "I'm sure you can appreciate that water and electricity don't mix so we need to make sure that it's safe for our firefighters to fight the fire." |
| The fire service said the blaze was not being treated as arson or a terrorist incident. | The fire service said the blaze was not being treated as arson or a terrorist incident. |
| A spokesman for RWE npower 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. | A spokesman for RWE npower 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." | "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. | 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. | "It was pretty dramatic; there was a lot of damage," Ms Miles said. |
| Leanne Little, 22, followed the fire engines to the scene. | Leanne Little, 22, followed the fire engines to the scene. |
| "Every time a hose was used on the fire it seemed to get brighter," she said. | "Every time a hose was used on the fire it seemed to get brighter," she 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." | 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." |
| Analysis: John Moylan, Industry Correspondent | Analysis: John Moylan, Industry Correspondent |
| Didcot B has two "modules" which together provide around 1.3GW of electricity to the grid. The npower website says that the plant provides enough power for a million homes. | Didcot B has two "modules" which together provide around 1.3GW of electricity to the grid. The npower website says that the plant provides enough power for a million homes. |
| The company says both modules were generating tonight. The fire was in a cooling tower linked to one of the modules, and it was decided to shut down that module. It was considered safe to keep the other running. | The company says both modules were generating tonight. The fire was in a cooling tower linked to one of the modules, and it was decided to shut down that module. It was considered safe to keep the other running. |
| So if there is a long-term impact from tonight's fire it may be that around half the capacity from the plant is hit, but possibly not all of it. | So if there is a long-term impact from tonight's fire it may be that around half the capacity from the plant is hit, but possibly not all of it. |
| That is to be confirmed, however. The company will know more when it assesses the damage. | That is to be confirmed, however. The company will know more when it assesses the damage. |
| National Grid said there was no operational impact from the fire. Demand for electricity is low on a Sunday night. | National Grid said there was no operational impact from the fire. Demand for electricity is low on a Sunday night. |
| Fellow Didcot resident Leila Qureshi said: "We got quite near before the road was shut. | 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." | "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 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. |
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