"Evacuations amid 'explosions' at Leamington Spa fire"

Firefighters are tackling a blaze at an industrial premises where explosions and a strong chemical smell have been reported



A huge plume of black smoke began billowing from the site on Juno Drive, Leamington Spa, on Friday morning.

Nearby properties were evacuated and people living within 70m were urged to shut doors and windows.

Police said one person was unaccounted for and emergency services were working to locate them.

Leeson Polyurethanes Ltd was the scene of the blaze, according to the Warwickshire force.

One member of the public reported his family being given masks to wear when neighbouring premises were evacuated, with additional reports of debris in the air and on the ground.

One resident said she kept hearing "small explosions".

Anna Harrington-Ridley was walking to work in nearby Whitnash when she first saw smoke at about 10:30 BST.

She said: "I saw a little plume of smoke and thought it might be the allotments but it quickly got a lot darker and a lot bigger in the space of about two minutes and I realised it was definitely something a bit more serious.

"I was stood down there at the end of the road that has been blocked off and you could see the massive plume of smoke, there was fire, explosions, all sorts of things."

She added there was a "strong chemical smell".



Resident Ben Coleman also reported an odour and explosive sounds.

"There's a bit of a smell," he said. "I heard small explosions - nothing too big, it was a few, like, pops."

He spotted the smoke from his window while working at home.

"I could see a big dark cloud, and I thought it was a thunderstorm, then I looked to my right and saw a big plume of smoke coming up from the building.

"Police had closed off the road leading to it, because it is in an industrial estate. [A] Lot of other places had got their staff out of the buildings."

Local Labour MP Matt Western said he heard the fire may involve chemicals from plastics.

From the scene, BBC Midlands Today correspondent Giles Latcham tweeted to say there appeared to be polystyrene falling from the sky.



Carl Brown, from Rugby, was with his family at a trampoline park near the site when fire broke out.

"The trampoline park staff were really good, they got everybody out, the kids out, gave us all masks and everything.

"We all put the masks on and as soon as we went outside we could see this huge black smoke and fire and stuff, and there was debris all over the car park."

Mr Brown added he could still see the smoke when he arrived home - approximately a 30-minute drive away.

Kevin Hughes said he too was working from home when he noticed the sky had turned grey.

"I saw some post in the local Facebook group... and when I walked to the back [of my property] I could see this massive plume of grey smoke floating over."

He was able to see the fire from about 11:00 BST, when, he said, it did not look like abating.

Leamington fire update: police say vehicles near fire site can now be collected



Many people had to leave their cars in the area due to safety concerns and road closures.

Yesterday (August 28) some roads were reopened, including Queensway with the junctions with Kingsway and Tachbrook Road.

However officers said that it was likely road closures for Juno Drive and Hermes Close were likely to remain until the end of the bank holiday.

On Sunday (August 29) police said that those who have vehicles parked in Hermes Close can now collect them.

A spokesperson said: "Vehicles can now be recovered from Hermes Close.

"Owners are asked to report to officers at the gates to the cordon area, situated at Hermes Close and Juno Drive."

Advice over cleaning debris from plastics factory fire



New health advice has been issued over debris from a plastics factory fire in Leamington Spa.

Homes were evacuated amid the blaze at Leeson Polyurethanes Ltd on 27 August. One employee is still missing nearly two weeks later.

Public Health England's (PHE) guidance focuses on soot and other matter emitted from the Juno Drive site.

Although toxins or contaminates from plastics should have been eliminated as they burnt, PHE said, it warned that particles could be an irritant and precautions should be taken while dealing with debris.

It advised:

• People should remove small areas of fine debris or soot wearing rubber gloves, wiping the surface first with a dry cloth, then a damp cloth to remove remnants. The waste, including gloves, should then be bagged and binned in the normal way. Hands should be washed with soap and water.
  
• Care should be taken when clearing large and sharp debris. Wear rubber gloves and bag and bin the waste as above.
  
• Soot can be safely washed off vehicles and outdoor furniture by using a fine water spray.
  
• Fruits and vegetables grown in the garden should be washed and peeled before they are consumed.

PHE said it would not expect there to be a significant risk from short-term contact with soot in gardens.

That's his paint-job ruined by the looks of it?

Leamington Spa fire: Tributes to worker presumed dead



A man missing in a major fire at a plastics factory is presumed dead, police have confirmed.

"Hero" David Boswell, 52, was on shift at Leeson Polyurethanes Ltd when the blaze began on 27 August and had not been seen since.

His parents, Christine and John Boswell, said he would be "sorely missed".

Safety concerns at the scene in Leamington Spa meant it could not be searched immediately, police said.

When the fire broke out, a large plume of smoke could be seen for miles around the site, with reports of explosions and a strong chemical smell.

Buildings within 100m of the Juno Drive location were evacuated, with people living within 500m advised to shut windows and doors.

In a tribute, released through the Warwickshire force, Mr Boswell's partner Carol Fureed, said: "Dave used to brighten anyone that was feeling down with his jokes. He always knew how to have a good laugh.

"He had a heart of gold and lived for his family, friends and his passion for fishing."

His brother, Andy, added there was "never a dull moment with you around".

Close friend Ryan Hissey said Mr Boswell was a "huge character" who "left an impression on everybody he met".

Colleagues also paid tribute, including Ben Curie who said Mr Boswell was "someone I could look up to, an inspiration and a hero at work".

Body recovered from Leesons factory six weeks after fire broke out



A body has been recovered from the scene of a fire six weeks after the fire broke out.

Warwickshire Police has confirmed that human remains have been recovered from the Leesons Polyurethanes site, which was destroyed by a fire in August.

Officers believe the victim to be 52-year-old David Boswell.

David was last seen working at Leesons on the day the fire started (August 27) and has not been seen since.

His family joined Warwickshire Police and the fire service at 6pm this afternoon to pay tribute to him. They formed a Guard of Honour as his body was removed from the scene.

Warwickshire Police Chaplain Matthew Hopley delivered blessings before David was transferred to the mortuary by private ambulance.

Detective Superintendent Jon Marsden said: “Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with David’s family and loved ones.

"We appreciate that their grief has been exacerbated by the delay in finding David and hope that this will at least bring some closure for them.

"The operation has been lengthy due to the enormous challenges presented by a chemical fire of this magnitude.

"The Leesons site was totally decimated and needed to be systematically deconstructed by demolition experts.

"It has been a highly complex and delicate operation to find David, ensure the safety of the search teams and to preserve, record and recover every piece of potential evidence.

"Obviously our first priority has been to locate David. His family now need to know the circumstances around his untimely death and we will continue our investigations with partners to determine the cause of this fire.”