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| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Man injured in oil tank explosion | Man injured in oil tank explosion |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| One man has suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire involving two oil tanks at a Kent engineering company. | One man has suffered minor injuries in an explosion and fire involving two oil tanks at a Kent engineering company. |
| The emergency services were called to the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, on the Hoo peninsula, at 0930 BST. | The emergency services were called to the Kingsnorth Industrial Estate, on the Hoo peninsula, at 0930 BST. |
| Witnesses reported seeing huge flames rising into the air at its height but Kent Fire and Rescue said the fire had been surrounded and was under control. | |
| Nine staff were on the premises at the time of the explosion but everyone was accounted for. | Nine staff were on the premises at the time of the explosion but everyone was accounted for. |
| An ambulance spokeswoman said she understood the injured man had been engulfed by flames and blown off the exploding tanker but had suffered only minor burns. | An ambulance spokeswoman said she understood the injured man had been engulfed by flames and blown off the exploding tanker but had suffered only minor burns. |
| He was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital for treatment. | He was taken to the Medway Maritime Hospital for treatment. |
| Three tanks | Three tanks |
| There were no other injuries in the blast. | There were no other injuries in the blast. |
| Police said the industrial estate and businesses in the area had been evacuated and an exclusion zone put in place around the scene of the fire. | Police said the industrial estate and businesses in the area had been evacuated and an exclusion zone put in place around the scene of the fire. |
| Householders living around the site have also been told to stay indoors with the windows closed as a precautionary measure. | Householders living around the site have also been 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. | |
| 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 cause of the explosion is not yet known. | The cause of the explosion is not yet known. |