Major blaze in Exeter
Photo by DCO photographer. Click for larger image.
Fifteen fire crews are currently fighting a fire at the Colas bitumen depot, in Tan Lane, off Water Lane, Exeter.
Police quickly cordoned off the area as a huge plume of acrid black smoke enveloped the surrounding area including an extensive residential district.
Hours later police officers were seen with face masks and confirmed to this reporter that toxic fumes were now a danger to residents. “You don’t want to be here, if you’ll take my advice,” one officer said.
Some streets have already been evacuated, and this could extend as far as Fords Road, according to a police source. Isca Road seems safe for now, although a sweet chemical smell and a tingling of the eyes was reported by a resident.
The depot is a store of the basic materials to make roads, including bitumen, a tar-like oil derivative.
Update: A spokesman for the Fire Service confirmed that the main danger from the incident came from outside “the cage” of the fire itself, which was in 20% of the building. Nearby were cyclinders, bitumen, and chemicals which could have caused a massive explosion.
A cordon was set up with a 200 yards radius around the fire and a block of flats was immediately evacuated.
Residents have now been allowed back in.
