Five men have been killed after a rapidly developing fire and reports of an explosion at an industrial estate in Boston, Lincolnshire.
Fire crews arrived at the Broadfield Lane industrial estate at around 7.20pm yesterday evening. The first crew attended to a seriously injured man while the second crew began tackling the fire from the outside of the building.
Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said the blaze was so intense that it had buckled the roller shutters of the unit and set alight a car outside.
Firefighters used hydraulic cutting equipment to enter the unit wearing breathing apparatus, where they discovered the bodies of the five men.
Lincolnshire’s chief fire officer, Dave Ramscar, said:
“In total, 35 firefighters attended this incident and along with our control room staff, did an incredible job in very difficult circumstances. All the crews involved have been offered emotional support and counselling, as thankfully, most firefighters rarely experience an incident as serious as this.
“Our thoughts go out to the families of the men whose lives were tragically lost on Wednesday night, and to the sixth man who we understand is still in a hospital with severe burns.”
Investigators were unable to confirm media reports that the premises may have been used for producing illicit vodka.
“We are continuing to work with Lincolnshire Police to look into the cause of the incident and any further investigations that may need to take place,” said Mr Ramscar.
Download the Fire Safety in 2023 eBook, keeping you up to date with the biggest news and prosecution stories from around the industry. Chapters include important updates such as the Fire Safety (England) Regulations 2022 and an overview of the new British Standard for the digital management of fire safety information.
Plus, we explore the growing risks of lithium-ion battery fires and hear from experts in disability evacuation and social housing.
