Blast and fire at Greater Manchester plant injures two
30 May 2012
A blast at Multiroof Building Products in Littleborough, Greater Manchester, resulted in two workers being hospitalised on May 28. One suffered extensive burns while another was covered in burning tar and leapt into a river, eyewitnesses said. A number of silos of solvent caught fire and thick black smoke could be seen for miles around with firefighters finally bringing the fire under control late on May 29.
The blast at Littleborough injured two workers
Firefighters had to contend with bitumen tanks and liquefied petroleum gas, as well as various other chemicals on the site, according to the Daily Mail.
Homes were evacuated as the huge smoke cloud lead to fears poisonous fumes could spread.
Witnesses reported four loud explosions from the company site at Stansfield Mill. Five other workers escaped without injury.
Local resident David O'Neill told Rochdale Online: 'There was one hell of a bang at first then I looked out and saw flames and it seemed as if it were raining soot. 'The first explosion was huge; it was lucky no one was killed. Then there was explosion after explosion.'