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| Two bodies found in Stafford fireworks warehouse following blaze | Two bodies found in Stafford fireworks warehouse following blaze |
| (1 day later) | |
| The bodies of two people have been found in the remains of a fireworks warehouse in Stafford after it caught fire on Thursday. | The bodies of two people have been found in the remains of a fireworks warehouse in Stafford after it caught fire on Thursday. |
| Staffordshire police said the remains were discovered almost 24 hours after an explosion at the Baswich Industrial Estate in Stafford, sparking a huge fire which tore through an industrial unit at 5.15pm on Thursday. | Staffordshire police said the remains were discovered almost 24 hours after an explosion at the Baswich Industrial Estate in Stafford, sparking a huge fire which tore through an industrial unit at 5.15pm on Thursday. |
| Two men were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, one aged in his 60s suffering from a back injury and another, in his 40s, with serious burns. | Two men were taken to the University Hospital of North Staffordshire, one aged in his 60s suffering from a back injury and another, in his 40s, with serious burns. |
| A 53-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the incident has been released and is now being treated as a witness. | A 53-year-old man who was arrested in connection with the incident has been released and is now being treated as a witness. |
| Footage on Thursday night showed thick plumes of smoke and bursts of fireworks exploding in all directions from the factory. | Footage on Thursday night showed thick plumes of smoke and bursts of fireworks exploding in all directions from the factory. |
| A resident Brian Little said: “The flames were sky high. For 45 minutes to an hour it was horrendous and you could not help but watch it.” | A resident Brian Little said: “The flames were sky high. For 45 minutes to an hour it was horrendous and you could not help but watch it.” |
| Business owner Sylvia Seaton-Jones, who has the unit next to the affected premises, said: “My heart goes out to the families.” | Business owner Sylvia Seaton-Jones, who has the unit next to the affected premises, said: “My heart goes out to the families.” |
| Stephanie Horton, an employee of a neighbouring firm, said it had been quiet on the Baswich Industrial Estate before she heard a “very loud explosion”, followed by several more in quick succession. | Stephanie Horton, an employee of a neighbouring firm, said it had been quiet on the Baswich Industrial Estate before she heard a “very loud explosion”, followed by several more in quick succession. |
| “The first thing that happened was that first very loud explosion and then three explosions – I was told there were about 10 in all,” she said. | “The first thing that happened was that first very loud explosion and then three explosions – I was told there were about 10 in all,” she said. |
| She managed to escape her place of work after a colleague “all but lifted the door off its hinges” so they could get out. | She managed to escape her place of work after a colleague “all but lifted the door off its hinges” so they could get out. |
| Witness Neil Kendall, 66, described the noise as constant and deafening as the fireworks detonated in the heat. | Witness Neil Kendall, 66, described the noise as constant and deafening as the fireworks detonated in the heat. |
| He is the head of the residents’ association on a nearby mobile home site, where many elderly residents live. | He is the head of the residents’ association on a nearby mobile home site, where many elderly residents live. |
| He said the location was well known as somewhere to buy fireworks and that, in the seven years he had been there, there had never been any problems. | He said the location was well known as somewhere to buy fireworks and that, in the seven years he had been there, there had never been any problems. |
| At the height of the fire, which took three hours to bring under control, there were 50 firefighters, eight engines and four specialist appliances at the scene, the fire service said. | At the height of the fire, which took three hours to bring under control, there were 50 firefighters, eight engines and four specialist appliances at the scene, the fire service said. |
| Staffordshire police said it was in contact with the victims’ family members and that a joint fire investigation had been launched to find the cause of an initial explosion at the SP Fireworks building in Tilcon Avenue, Stafford. | Staffordshire police said it was in contact with the victims’ family members and that a joint fire investigation had been launched to find the cause of an initial explosion at the SP Fireworks building in Tilcon Avenue, Stafford. |
| Supt Ian Coxhead said: “We have a great deal of sensitive and challenging work to complete in order to allow us to establish the cause of the explosion and the following fire.” | Supt Ian Coxhead said: “We have a great deal of sensitive and challenging work to complete in order to allow us to establish the cause of the explosion and the following fire.” |
| He added that a significant volume of fireworks was being stored on site, and the unit had been all but destroyed in the ensuing blaze. | He added that a significant volume of fireworks was being stored on site, and the unit had been all but destroyed in the ensuing blaze. |
| On Friday, specialist police teams have been carrying out fingertip searches of the blaze-damaged fireworks warehouse. The fire-blackened ruin of the building was still smoking on Friday afternoon, as fire crews continued to dampen it down. | On Friday, specialist police teams have been carrying out fingertip searches of the blaze-damaged fireworks warehouse. The fire-blackened ruin of the building was still smoking on Friday afternoon, as fire crews continued to dampen it down. |
| MP for Stafford Jeremy Lefroy, who visited the scene, said: “My first thoughts are with the families of those missing and of those injured, particularly the man with serious burns, who I understand has been transferred to Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth hospital. | |
| “The business is a well-known and reputable family firm and I have no doubt they complied with the very tight regulations we have in this country surrounding fireworks. | “The business is a well-known and reputable family firm and I have no doubt they complied with the very tight regulations we have in this country surrounding fireworks. |
| “Until we know the cause of the fire, and the outcome of the investigation, it is difficult to say any more.” | “Until we know the cause of the fire, and the outcome of the investigation, it is difficult to say any more.” |
| Philip Atkins, Staffordshire county council’s leader, said: “It is tragic to hear that two people are still missing and our thoughts are with their families at this time.” | Philip Atkins, Staffordshire county council’s leader, said: “It is tragic to hear that two people are still missing and our thoughts are with their families at this time.” |
| The council also said: “Our trading standards team has registered the premises to sell fireworks for the last four years during the permitted weeks around the bonfire and New Year periods. | The council also said: “Our trading standards team has registered the premises to sell fireworks for the last four years during the permitted weeks around the bonfire and New Year periods. |
| “The team inspected the premises on 16 October this year and it met all safety requirements for the storage of fireworks.” | “The team inspected the premises on 16 October this year and it met all safety requirements for the storage of fireworks.” |