Treforest fire: Body found after industrial estate explosion

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CCTV shows the blast happen at Treforest Industrial Estate

By James McCarthy
BBC News

A body has been found at the site of an explosion on an industrial estate in Treforest, south Wales.

The person was located after a search by South Wales Police following Wednesday night’s blaze.

Formal identification has not taken place and officers are supporting the family of a person who had been missing.

Det Supt Richard Jones said the force would now begin investigating the cause of the explosion and fire.

A body has been found following the blast and fire on Treforest Industrial Estate

Emergency services remain at the scene on Severn Road on the estate in Rhondda Cynon Taf.

At least one building was destroyed and a major incident was declared for several hours after the explosion at about 19:00 GMT on Wednesday.

The fire service said a two-storey building was at risk of collapse and it had seven pumps at the scene, along with an incident command unit.

The fire was in a 60,000 sq ft (5,574 sq m) warehouse called Rizla House.

It houses 13 commercial units including a gym, a towel manufacturer, a food laboratory and a telecoms service company.

Plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the site of the fire

Det Supt Jones said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the missing person.

“Now that the fire has been brought under control, we will move to the investigative phase to find out what caused this explosion and subsequent fire.

“Roads are gradually being re-opened although some roads and businesses in the area will still be affected.

“I want to thank local residents and businesses for their patience and understanding while this incident is being dealt with.”

Stephen Davies, who was at a nearby gym when the explosion happened, said: “We were going about our usual gym class and then about quarter past seven we sat down and we had a coffee in the cafe area, the next thing we knew a massive explosion”.

He said he and his friend saw the stairwell by the entrance of the cafe explode.

“All the walls caved in, it was carnage… it was very scary,” he said.

“The staff were excellent in terms of getting everybody out, shouting and making sure everybody escaped out the back entrance.

“It’s a bit surreal, because you are sort of in something, you don’t actually realise how life and death that was.

“You don’t think it’s ever going to happen to you.”

Several ambulances were at the scene of the fire on Wednesday night

Pet store PetWise, which is near the building, said on Facebook that staff had been escorted into the building to check on the animals and they were safe and well.

They have now been fed and watered.

Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board had put all its emergency departments on high alert for several hours, standing down late on Wednesday.

It also asked people to “continue to make appropriate use of urgent care services to ensure those that most need our care can receive it in a timely way”.

Barber Andrew Cox posted on Facebook that he was trying to work out what the next steps were on appointments.

His shop, Andrew Cox Barbering, is in the building underneath the gym where the explosion happened.

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