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A British emergency services department says there have been “multiple casualties” following a large explosion on Thursday (local time) at a sewage treatment facility near the south-west England city of Bristol.
The Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted at 11:22 am to a large explosion in the Avonmouth industrial area located near Bristol, which is about 195 kilometers west of London.
“We can confirm that there are multiple victims at the site,” a fire service spokesman said.
Uncredited / AP
Police attend the scene of the explosion.
“The incident is ongoing.”
The fire service said its personnel were joined at the scene by Avon and Somerset police officers and medics from the Southwest Ambulance Service.
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“An explosion involving one of the chemical tanks is believed to have occurred at Wessex Water’s water recycling center in Bristol,” said a police spokesman.
“Subsequently, the fire service led a rescue operation, which involved five aircraft and two turntable crews and we can confirm that there have been several victims.”
Uncredited / AP
This photo shows the building in Bristol where fire crews, police and paramedics are responding to a “big” explosion.
Witness Jawad Burhan said there was a “helicopter searching for missing persons” and that the police had closed a nearby road leading to the scene.
“I heard the sound, I am working next to the building in another warehouse,” he said.
“After 10 minutes, I saw the helicopter and the police coming.”
