Two in hospital after Derbyshire pyrotechnics factory fire - BBC

By George Torr

BBC News

Two people have been taken to hospital after a large fire at a pyrotechnics factory.

A total of 10 crews from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire were called at around 21:10 GMT on Friday to the fire at the Wescom Defence site in Wilne Road, Draycott near Derby.

One fire crew was on site on Saturday damping down and checking for hotspots.

The site supplies pyrotechnics for the armed forces and is known locally as the "fireworks factory".

East Midlands Ambulance Service told the BBC that two people were taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham.

"We sent our Hazardous Area Response Team, four ambulances, two fast response cars and the Air Ambulance," it said.

Investigations under way

In a statement on Twitter at 22:57 GMT on Friday, Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service said: "Firefighters are currently dealing with an incident on Wilne Road in Draycott.

"Local residents are advised to keep their windows and doors closed while we deal with the incident."

Police officers remain at the scene and investigations are continuing to establish what caused the fire.

Derbyshire fire crews attending the incident were from: Long Eaton, Nottingham Road, Ascot Drive, Kingsway, Chesterfield with the aerial ladder platform, Melbourne and Ripley.

Highfields and Stapleford attended from Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire's Castle Donnington.

Derbyshire Police and the Ministry of Defence have been contacted for comment.