Didcot Power Station explosion ‘leaves one dead’

Thames Valley Police told the BBC that officers were at the Didcot Power Station in Oxfordshire investigating those reports, but did not provide any further details.

BBC television said police had declared a major incident and there had been casualties.

South Central Ambulance Service said it was “describing it as a major incident”. The service could not confirm any casualties.

Police said officers and other emergency workers were in attendance at the Didcot power plant.

The explosion appears to have happened at Didcot A, a former coal-powered station that was closed in 2013, The Scotsman reported.

“Then actually driving past the plant it looked as though one whole side of the main building had been blown off and what was a skeletal black mass”.

More demolition work at the site was under way.

Npower, which runs the power station, said it has launched an investigation. What’s left looks a tangled mess.

According to The Guardian, photos reveal that a significant part of Didcot A site was collapsed.

The incident comes 16 months since a major fire struck a cooling tower at Didcot B in October 2014.

Adrian Redhead said: “All kicking off at Didcot powerstation, explosion, loads of dust, loads of emergency vehicles”.