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| Bosley explosion: Four missing in Wood Flour Mills blast | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Four people are thought to be trapped and three people have been taken to hospital after several explosions at a wood treatment works near Macclesfield. | |
| A four-storey building collapsed at Wood Flour Mills on Tunstall Road, Bosley, at 09:10 BST, with large fires breaking out, the fire service said. | A four-storey building collapsed at Wood Flour Mills on Tunstall Road, Bosley, at 09:10 BST, with large fires breaking out, the fire service said. |
| Cheshire Police described it as a "major incident", with firefighters not ruling out further explosions. | Cheshire Police described it as a "major incident", with firefighters not ruling out further explosions. |
| The force said the "vast majority of staff are accounted for and safe". | |
| Cheshire Fire and Rescue said 20 people were working at the plant at the time of the first explosion and there were "quite a few walking wounded". | |
| West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "A 29-year-old woman has sustained serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest." | West Midlands Ambulance Service said: "A 29-year-old woman has sustained serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest." |
| She was taken by air ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. | She was taken by air ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. |
| North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) sent six ambulances and two rapid response vehicles. An air ambulance was also at the scene. | |
| An NWAS spokesperson said: "So far one patient has been taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital by land ambulance and one patient taken to Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester, by air ambulance suffering from burns." | |
| Paramedics from West Midlands Ambulance Service, who were assisting, said 35 people who were on or around the premises were assessed at the scene, with no injuries reported. | |
| 'Still raging' | 'Still raging' |
| Fifteen fire engines are at the scene, with search and rescue teams also called to assist with the rescue efforts. | Fifteen fire engines are at the scene, with search and rescue teams also called to assist with the rescue efforts. |
| Ch Insp Paul Carroll from Cheshire Police told BBC Radio Stoke: "The fire is still raging at this point in time. | Ch Insp Paul Carroll from Cheshire Police told BBC Radio Stoke: "The fire is still raging at this point in time. |
| "We've had a number of multiple explosions on site which have hindered our access in searching for unaccounted persons." | "We've had a number of multiple explosions on site which have hindered our access in searching for unaccounted persons." |
| Follow regular updates on BBC Stoke and Staffordshire's Local Live feed. | Follow regular updates on BBC Stoke and Staffordshire's Local Live feed. |
| Steve Barnes, from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When we arrived it was a scene of devastation. The surrounding area is unsafe and hazardous to firefighters." | Steve Barnes, from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "When we arrived it was a scene of devastation. The surrounding area is unsafe and hazardous to firefighters." |
| He said the crews were trying to make the area safe to be in a position to carry out any potential rescue. | He said the crews were trying to make the area safe to be in a position to carry out any potential rescue. |
| Emergency services said it was too early to ascertain what had caused the blaze. | Emergency services said it was too early to ascertain what had caused the blaze. |
| Cheshire East Council has asked people to avoid the Tunstall Road area of Bosley. | Cheshire East Council has asked people to avoid the Tunstall Road area of Bosley. |
| Police said smoke is drifting north east, with residents 15 miles away in Wildboarclough advised to close doors and windows. | Police said smoke is drifting north east, with residents 15 miles away in Wildboarclough advised to close doors and windows. |
| More than 40 pupils at Bosley St Mary's C of E Primary School, which is about a mile from the explosion site, were being kept inside the school building. | More than 40 pupils at Bosley St Mary's C of E Primary School, which is about a mile from the explosion site, were being kept inside the school building. |
| Raj Barard, headteacher, said: "We heard and we felt the explosion just after 09:00 BST. Police told us to keep the children indoors. | Raj Barard, headteacher, said: "We heard and we felt the explosion just after 09:00 BST. Police told us to keep the children indoors. |
| "It felt like an earthquake. We had our leavers service in the school instead of at the church over the road." | "It felt like an earthquake. We had our leavers service in the school instead of at the church over the road." |
| He added: "Electricity has been off for a couple of hours now. We've had sandwich lunches but are coping well." | He added: "Electricity has been off for a couple of hours now. We've had sandwich lunches but are coping well." |
| At the scene | At the scene |
| BBC Radio Manchester reporter Michelle Adamson | BBC Radio Manchester reporter Michelle Adamson |
| Looking out from a car park, two or three fields away, there are plumes and clouds of smoke. These were white and grey in colour but are now black. | Looking out from a car park, two or three fields away, there are plumes and clouds of smoke. These were white and grey in colour but are now black. |
| You can taste the smoke after this substantial explosion and subsequent fire. | You can taste the smoke after this substantial explosion and subsequent fire. |
| As I was arriving there were two fire engines squealing past and there is a constant sound of sirens. | As I was arriving there were two fire engines squealing past and there is a constant sound of sirens. |
| A whole fleet of ambulances are attending the scene. | A whole fleet of ambulances are attending the scene. |
| Sarah Nixon, from Bosley Cloud, said: "I live less than half a mile from the wood flour mill and the explosion sounded as if a car had just crashed into the house with a very deep bang. | Sarah Nixon, from Bosley Cloud, said: "I live less than half a mile from the wood flour mill and the explosion sounded as if a car had just crashed into the house with a very deep bang. |
| "The explosion shook the whole house rattling windows and doors, just like an earthquake. | "The explosion shook the whole house rattling windows and doors, just like an earthquake. |
| "The black and grey smoke plummeted up along with flames and has engulfed the valley below." | "The black and grey smoke plummeted up along with flames and has engulfed the valley below." |
| Electricity North West said power was cut to 165 homes in Bosely to "allow firefighters to carry out their work safely". | Electricity North West said power was cut to 165 homes in Bosely to "allow firefighters to carry out their work safely". |
| Angela Shuker, who lives one farm along from the wood treatment works, said: "Our doors in the house just banged. We could see the flames rising not far from us down the road from the mill." | Angela Shuker, who lives one farm along from the wood treatment works, said: "Our doors in the house just banged. We could see the flames rising not far from us down the road from the mill." |
| Charli Alston, 18, was walking her dog when she witnessed the explosion. | Charli Alston, 18, was walking her dog when she witnessed the explosion. |
| She said: "I was walking down my drive and there was just a huge bang. It sounded like a thunder cloud, we didn't know what it was. | She said: "I was walking down my drive and there was just a huge bang. It sounded like a thunder cloud, we didn't know what it was. |
| "We looked over and there were massive plumes of flames. Almost as high as the hill next to it." | "We looked over and there were massive plumes of flames. Almost as high as the hill next to it." |
| Are you in the area? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. | Are you in the area? Please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your experiences. |
| Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: | Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also contact us in the following ways: |