Building explosion forces 200 people to be evacuated

A LARGE fire tore through an industrial building after what was described as a “huge explosion”.

Onlookers reported a mushroom cloud and secondary explosion at the scene in Kent as firefighters continued to battle the blaze yesterday.

Around 200 people had to be evacuated while emergency services responded to the incident.

The fire had been brought under control by lunchtime, the fire service said.

Firefighters were called at 4.30am to the scene in Vicarage Lane in Hoo, near Rochester, where flames and a plume of black smoke could be seen.

Video on social media showed huge flames lighting up the night sky, while people posting online talked of an explosion. The fire continued to burn and at one point yesterday morning a billowing mushroom cloud of smoke was seen rising up into the sky.

One eyewitness who lives nearby said: “Around 4am or 4.30am a huge explosion shook the house and windows. I jumped out of bed to see the sky was orange. There was then a second explosion, just as big, and that’s when I started to record.”

As the blaze burned, a huge plume of thick black smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the air, prompting the fire service to tell nearby members of the public to close windows and doors.

Gas cylinders were said to have been involved in the blaze but no casualties had been reported.

Incident commander and group manager Mark Woodward said: “The smoke plume may look daunting, but really it’s very similar to what you would get in a house fire. The fire is now under control, however we are going to be here for some time.”