Yaxley Fire

25/03/11

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A little after ten past three this morning the residents of Yaxley were disturbed as their windows were rattled by a series of explosions. A fire had started at the Quality Fruit & Veg (QFV Ltd) production site in Yaxley and part of their storage facility was ablaze with containers there exploding affecting buildings up to half a mile away. Worried residents were seen on the streets as they sought information and could see the plume of smoke and fire visible from some distance away.

The Fire Service excluded everyone from the site as flames leapt more then fifty feet into the air. More intact cylinders could be seen in the flames and by four o’clock there were two water bowsers four fire fighting appliances and a head quarters vehicle on scene with police cordons preventing public access. A fleet of Fire Service appliances were involved in a shuttle service to maintain the water supply as they continued to fight the fire.

A member of the family who owns the facility stated that the cause of the fire was unknown and that the factory was an onion packing facility. No further comment was forthcoming.

By half past four the fire was under control but a plume of steam rose several hundred feet into the air. The dampening down had begun yet owing to the unexploded canisters access to the site was prevented.

At this time Sean Brown, Group Manager with the Cambridgeshire Fire Service, issued a statement that LPG canisters had exploded owing to a fire. Due to the potential risk of further explosions an exclusion zone had been created, and that the fire fighting was defensive in nature to protect neighbouring buildings and the public. The train line had been stopped and the Fire Service were working with rail transport officers to minimise the impact on commuter services. The investigation into the cause of the fire would now begin.