Police: 4 die after explosion at UK waste water plant
Emergency services attend to a large explosion at a warehouse in Bristol, England, Thursday Dec. 3, 2020. A local British emergency services department says there have been “multiple casualties” following a large explosion at a warehouse near the southwest England city of Bristol.[AP/ Ben Birchall]
Four people have died following an explosion at a waste water treatment plant near the southwest England city of Bristol, police said Thursday.
Chief Inspector Mark Runacres of Avon and Somerset Police said that a fifth person was injured during the explosion at Avonmouth but that his condition is not thought to be life-threatening.
He said the incident was not terror-related but would not speculate on the cause of the blast.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said “our hearts go out” to the victims of the Avonmouth tragedy and their families.
“Deeply saddened to learn that four people have lost their lives in the water works explosion in Avonmouth,” he said on Twitter.
The Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it was alerted at 11:22 a.m. to a large explosion in the industrial area of Avonmouth located near Bristol, about 120 miles (195 kilometers) west of London.
The fire service said its personnel were joined at the scene by Avon and Somerset Police officers and medics from the South West Ambulance Service.