What we know so far
Emergency services were alerted to a building collapse at Didcot A power station at 4.04pm on Thursday. South Central ambulance service declared a major incident and sent an air ambulance, three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and a hazardous area response team to the scene.
Oxfordshire fire and rescue service have confirmed that one person has died, five people have been taken to hospital and three people are still missing. The casualties are thought to have been workers preparing the site for demolition.
Chief fire officer of the Oxfordshire fire and rescue service, Dave Etheridge, has said that, contrary to initial reports, the incident was not an explosion and reassured the public that dust that came from the building collapse is not hazardous.
He said a demolition had been due to take place in ten days and that the health and safety executive and Thames Valley police are to launch an investigation into why the building collapsed earlier than planned.
Demolition contractors Coleman and Company, who were handed the power station site after October 2013, have said the are “working with all stakeholders to establish facts” and asked that any enquiries go to the press office of energy company RWE, which owns the site.
Oxford University hospitals NHS foundation trust has confirmed that it is responding to the incident and has asked members of the public to avoid attending the emergency department for anything other than serious or life-threatening emergencies.
The building collapse happened on the site of the Didcot A power station, a combined coal and oil power plant which was closed in March 2013. It is located next to the Didcot B power station, which is an an active natural-gas power plant.
That’s all from me for now. You can check the Guardian homepage for further updates.
Here is a comment from culture minister Ed Vaizey, who is MP for Wantage, which includes Didcot –
It is tragic that someone has lost their life in this awful incident. I understand three people are still missing. The emergency services are doing, as always, an outstanding job. My thoughts and prayers are with those affected.
The company that was preparing the site for demolition has just released its first comments on the disaster in the form of the following tweets –
We are aware of an incident at #Didcot A Power Station. We are working with all Stakeholders to establish facts and will keep you updated.
— Coleman Demolition (@colemanandco) February 23, 2016
Any enquiries please contact the RWE press office 0845 0702807 and they will handle enquiries on behalf of both companies #Didcot
— Coleman Demolition (@colemanandco) February 23, 2016
The site is owned by RWE npower.
Some amazing pictures from Twitter’s @DarkStarSteph and Kelly White, apparently showing the view before and after the building collapse.
. @guardian before and after of the #didcot collapse. Photo credit: Kelly White pic.twitter.com/PkuChC3RhG
— DarkStarSteph (@DarkStarSteph) February 23, 2016
A comment from the energy and climate change secretary, Amber Rudd.
.@AmberRudd_MP: “Our thoughts with those who have been affected by the incident at Didcot - will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
— DECC (@DECCgovuk) February 23, 2016
Updated
Investigation launched into building collapse
The chief fire officer of the Oxfordshire fire and rescue service, Dave Etheridge, has confirmed that the incident at Didcot power station was not an explosion.
He said that a demolition was due to take place in ten days and that the health and safety executive and Thames Valley police are to launch an investigation into why the building collapsed earlier than planned.
“At this time the cause is unknown and the search is continuing for three missing people, with five in hospital and one fatality confirmed,” he said, stressing that the dust – which has reportedly covered everything surrounding the site – is in no way hazardous.
Oxfordshire county council has just released the following update:
At 4.04pm Thames Valley fire control service received a call to a building collapse at Didcot power station.
Five fire engines along with support vehicles including: specialist rescue and command support units, and urban search and rescue units from Buckinghamshire have been mobilised along with extensive resources from Thames Valley police and South Central ambulance service.
Emergency responders from all three services were quickly in attendance and secured the scene.
Dust from the collapse covered a considerable area and we can confirm that there were no hazardous materials within the building; residents are advised to remain inside keeping doors and windows closed.
Area manager, Mat Carlile, who is on the scene, said:
I can confirm search operations are in progress and that there has been one fatality, five persons have been taken to hospital and 3 persons are currently missing.
Updated
One person confirmed dead
Oxfordshire fire and rescue service has confirmed that one person has died, five people have been taken to hospital and three people are missing after a building collapsed at Didcot power station shortly after 4pm. The casualties are thought to have been workers preparing the site for demolition.
Work on two boilers caused building to collapse – report
The BBC is quoting a GMB union official as saying that the collapse of the building was caused by workers preparing two boilers for demolition. The official told the broadcaster that he did not think it had been an explosion.
Updated
Npower, which owns the site of the Didcot A power station, has released a statement saying that they are working with demolition contractors Coleman and Company to “establish the facts”:
There has been an incident at our former Didcot A power station site in Oxfordshire. The site is currently being demolished. We are working with our contractors Coleman and Company to establish the facts and will keep you updated as soon as we have more information.
Updated
Journalist Ross Kempsell has been trying to get in touch with the demolition contractors, Coleman and Company, who were handed the power station site after October 2013. He hasn’t had much luck. The site is owned by RWE npower.
This was the plan for demolition operations at #Didcot pic.twitter.com/WFwJBLELLs
— Ross Kempsell (@rosskempsell) February 23, 2016
#Didcot 'no one available' to comment from #Didcot demolition contractors The Coleman Group
— Ross Kempsell (@rosskempsell) February 23, 2016
Updated
Here is aerial footage of the extent of the damage to the main building at the old Didcot power station.
Oxford University Hospitals have just released the following statement.
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust can confirm that it is responding to a major incident declared today (23/2) at Didcot power station.
Casualties are being directed to the emergency department of the John Radcliffe hospital which has been made ready to receive them.
We are not able to release any information on numbers of casualties at this time.
We are grateful to members of the public for avoiding attending our emergency department for anything other than serious or life-threatening emergencies.
OUH is responding to a major incident at #Didcot Power Station, casualties are being directed to the JR Hospital https://t.co/hUiaMa3hSf
— OUH (@OUHospitals) February 23, 2016
Due to a major incident at #Didcot please consider carefully before coming to A&E - other options are listed here: https://t.co/PO736mKf5n
— OUH (@OUHospitals) February 23, 2016
Updated
Here are two updates from Thames Valley police, confirming that they are still at the scene.
Officers are still at an incident at Didcot Power Station. There are no public road closures at this time. Further details to follow #Didcot
— Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) February 23, 2016
We remain at Didcot Power Station following a report of collapsed building. We will share more details as soon as they are confirmed #Didcot
— Thames Valley Police (@ThamesVP) February 23, 2016
I have also been promised an update from the Oxfordshire fire and rescue service. I will share it with you as soon as I get it.
Updated
Just to clarify, this incident happened on the site of the Didcot A power station, a combined coal and oil power plant which was closed in March 2013. It is located next to the Didcot B power station, which is an an active natural-gas power plant.
The Didcot A power station was designed by architect Frederick Gibberd and the building was completed in 1968. Surrounding villages were asked to vote on whether a power station should be built in the area and voted in favour because it promised to bring jobs to the area. The power station employed 2,400 at peak times.
English Heritage decided not to give the Didcot A power station listed building status in 2013 and the site’s three cooling towers were demolished by explosives on 27 July 2014, with thousands of people watching.
This is our video from the demolition in 2014. (This is NOT footage of today’s incident.)
Updated
This is where this afternoon’s incident occurred.
From the MP for Didcot and Wantage and culture minister, Ed Vaizey.
Very concerned about terrible events at Didcot power station. Praying for workers and their families.
— Ed Vaizey (@edvaizey) February 23, 2016
Updated
Just a note on our use of the word “explosion”. We don’t actually know if the incident was caused by an explosion, even though that is how some witnesses have described it. There is no clear evidence of flames or smoke in the footage of the aftermath, so it is also possible that this has been a building collapse.
We will bring you further clarity when we get it.
Updated
Here is some aerial footage of the damage caused by the explosion. It appears that the largest building on the site has partially collapsed.
One fatality reported in Didcot power station incident
Rodney Rose, the deputy leader of Oxfordshire county council has told the Oxford Mail that there has been one fatality. Rose, whose brief includes the fire service, said:
I have been told there has been one fatality, but the rest is currently unknown. The fire service is there now and we are still trying to find out if this was a demolition. At the moment this is being treated as a collapsed building, not an explosion, but there was a bang.
Updated
Here is the full piece of video from Twitter user Blaine Morris-Smith of the explosion.
Major incident with several casualties declared at Didcot power station
South Central ambulance service has declared a major incident after an explosion at Didcot power station. There have been “several casualties”.
Updated
Updated
The Oxford Mail is reporting that Great Western Railway and Network Rail were both unaware of any planned explosion today. Victoria Bradley of Network Rail told the paper:
We certainly were not made aware of any explosion but we have been told there is smoke and the emergency services are at the scene.
At the moment it is not affecting any of our services but we are sending our mobile operations manager down there so that may well change. We are investigating the situation.
Updated
Here is a better picture of the damage to the building from the explosion reported at Didcot.
Twitter users have reported that half of the building has collapsed.
@TheOxfordMail #Didcot Walking the Dogs and this happens pic.twitter.com/Z5in0j6MLr
— BLAINE MORRIS-SMITH (@BlaineMSmith) February 23, 2016
Explosion at Didcot Power Station. Half of building has collapsed @TheOxfordMail pic.twitter.com/szd0Vof14A
— Emma Hibbert (@emmalhibbert) February 23, 2016
Something big is happening to the didcot power station pic.twitter.com/MwIIvWMC9I
— MysticSoldierHD (@billywiseman64) February 23, 2016
A large explosion has been reported at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire shortly after 4pm. The station was due to be demolished later this year, but there was not thought to be any planned activity today.
Officers are at Didcot Power Station at an incident with other emergency services. Further details will be released in due course. #Didcot
— TVPSouth Oxon & VOWH (@tvpsouthandvale) February 23, 2016
Thames Valley police have confirmed that officers are attending the scene and South Central ambulance service has confirmed they have sent an air ambulance, three ambulances, a rapid response vehicle and a hazardous area response team.
We will be bringing you more updates as we get them.
Updated
