Two people have died following an explosion on an industrial estate in Norfolk.
Norfolk police said the incident took place at 9.20am at a unit on Spar Road in Hellesdon, Norwich.
The men, one in his 50s and one in his 20s, were found within a room inside the building. The men “died as the result of the incident shortly after 9am”, police reported. Next of kin have been made aware and no one else required medical attention.
Police, paramedics and firefighters were called to Harford Attachments, a manufacturer of excavator buckets for diggers, following the explosion.
Air ambulance now leaving the scene of fire/explosion in Spar Road. pic.twitter.com/tfZUtwgteF
— Mark Shields (@Mark__Shields) July 13, 2015
Smoke was seen rising from the site in the Norwich suburbs. Norfolk police said: “All emergency services are at the scene while road closures and exclusion zones are currently being considered.”
Superintendent Dave Marshall, Norwich policing commander, said: “On behalf of Norfolk police and other emergency services, I offer my condolences to the friends and families of the men killed in this incident and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time.
“Colleagues from Norfolk fire service continue to make the scene safe so that detailed investigations can begin between police, fire and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).”
Police confirmed an investigation is underway, a cordon remains in place and Spar Road is expected to be closed until at least Tuesday.
Witnesses reported seeing black smoke soaring up into the sky followed by pitch-black darkness. Ashley Cashfield, 22, who works at nearby Plastic Building Supplies, said he saw thick black plumes of smoke as he drove to work.
Staff stood outside the building “with panic in people’s eyes”, he said, adding: “They looked quite distressed.” The building had been evacuated but emergency services had not yet arrived at that time.
Air ambulance has just left the scene of the fire on Spar Road. pic.twitter.com/NqX5saF8El
— Eastern Daily Press (@EDP24) July 13, 2015
Dale Evans, sales adviser at nearby Indespension Tow Bars, said: “We had the workshop doors open this morning and a lot of fire trucks and ambulances came past. We came out to have a look at what was going on – there must have been six or seven fire trucks,” he said.
Keith Swann, 56, branch manager of nearby Automotive Parts Distribution, told the Eastern Daily Press: “There was a big cloud of black smoke behind us. We could see the black smoke coming across the top of the building and it went really dark.”
“We didn’t know what was going on. Ten minutes after that, the air ambulance arrived,” he said.
