Firefighters from five different stations have tackled an “industrial fire” in Penallta this morning, Thursday November 16.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) crews from Aberbargoed, Merthyr, Treharris, Pontypridd and Caerphilly fouht the flames at metal scrapyard SL Recycling Ltd on Allta Industrial Estate, with black plumes of smoke visible from a long distance away.
Firefighters first arrived at the scene at 9.20am.
Update Penallta: Fire now extinguished. 1 building severely damaged by fire quantity of tyres and vehicles destroyed by fire. 3 ground monitors 2 jets 2 bowsers and Drone in use
— Jennie Griffiths (@GriffithsJECtrl) November 16, 2017
The service had asked people to avoid the area and for residents to keep windows and doors shut.
One building has been “severely damaged” by the fire, and a number of tyres and vehicles have also been “destroyed”, according to SWFRS.
Employees at neighbouring companies on the industrial estate reported hearing a bang, and within minutes were being evacuated by police.
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Nigel Lewis, of Gwent Police, said: “There has been a fire at SL Recycling where a fuel tank, or a small amount of fuel has been ignited.
“The fire service have worked it out and we think it is accidental.”
A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service said: “We sent members of the Hazardous Area Response Team, the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service in a car and two paramedics in rapid response vehicles.
“Two patients were checked over at the scene.”
One man is believed to have taken himself to the Royal Gwent Hospital with what are described as minor injuries.
