Train fire near Llanelli - late on 26th August 2020

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From Evening Standard

Homes have been evacuated in south Wales after a large diesel train caught fire

British Transport Police said crews were dealing with the blaze in Llangennech, near Llanelli, in the early hours of Thursday.

Gary Jones, a county councillor in Carmarthenshire, posted on Facebook saying "A major incident on the railway line has been declared."

British Transport Police said: "Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on the railway near Llangennech, Wales.

Llangennech is on the Swansea District Line and the Heart of Wales line - 2 stations north of Llanelli, and not on the main line from Swansea itself to Llanelli, Carmarthen and West Wales.

[grahame]

Press Release from Dyfed Powys Police

27 Aug 2020

Emergency services are currently dealing with a train fire in Llangennech.

The incident was reported at just before 11.20pm on Wednesday, August 26, when three carriages of a diesel train were alight.

Dyfed-Powys Police, British Transport Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service are currently in attendance, with support from Carmarthenshire Council and Natural Resources Wales.

An evacuation zone has been put in place, with police contacting residents in this area and asking them to convene at Bryn School and Llangennech Community Centre.

Road closures are in place. People are asked to avoid the Llangennech and Hendy areas, and vehicles on the M4 are being asked to continue to Pont Abraham.

Dyfed-Powys Police Superintendent Ross Evans said: “This is a fast-moving situation, which has been declared a major incident.

“There are a significant number of emergency services personnel at the scene, and an evacuation zone has been put in place.

“Officers are in contact with people within that area asking them to leave their homes, and we urge people to comply with officers’ requests to ensure a swift and efficient evacuation.

“We are working closely with our colleagues at British Transport Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Carmarthenshire Council, and Natural Resources Wales to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.”

[grahame]

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/breaking-huge-train-fire-wales-22584624

Many nearby residents took to social media to report the mammoth blaze.

One Twitter user wrote: "Looks like the Murco oil train is on fire near Llangennech. Huge flames, area being evacuated."

Another tweeted: "It looks like a train on fire. Definitely fuel burning earlier - could smell it from well over a mile away."


Llangennech County Councillor Gary Jones confirmed to Llanelli Online there had been a "terrible accident" involving a cargo train.

Train services between Carmarthenshire and North Wales as well as Manchester Piccadilly have been affected by the fire.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation.

Twitter reports of "20 carriages" and "huge fire" early doors, lots of pictures of huge flames in the distance on Twitter. No reports of any casualties / people involved.  BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) report at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-53927802 .

[grahame]

No reports of any casualties / people involved.  BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) report at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-53927802 .

BBC report updated:

Two workers on the train are accounted for and no injuries have been reported, British Transport Police said.

[TonyK]

Looks like this one:

[bradshaw]

Accident at Morlais Jn, photo on Twitter , taken from Llangennech Station

https://twitter.com/russmyners/status/1298891881280163840?s=21,

retweeted by Philip Haigh

[TonyK]

The photo from that tweet:

[grahame]

From the British Transport Police via https://twitter.com/BTP/status/1298975399704227841

Update into Llangennech train fire - Wales

Superintendent Andy Morgan said: “Overnight, officers from British Transport Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, ambulance service and Carmarthenshire County Council dealt with a major incident on the railway line near Llangennech.

We have launched an investigation and will be assisting the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the exact circumstances behind the incident.

What we know is a freight train, carrying large amounts of diesel oil, caught fire and a number of its wagons also derailed. Thankfully, despite the clear danger, no injuries have been reported. The two members of railway staff operating the train were able raise the alarm and uncouple the locomotive and move it to a safe space.  

The fire was significant due to the quantity of fuel it was carrying and presented a possible danger to the wider community.

As a precaution, roads were shut, and Dyfed-Powys Police evacuated a large number of homes within a radius of the fire.

I believe around 300 people were affected and I’d like to thank everyone for their understanding and quick action in what must have been a frightening time.

At this time, the cause of the fire is unknown and, while the fire continues, there is still a substantial risk within its immediate vicinity, so our advice remains for people to avoid the area.

Our officers are conducting initial enquiries and are in the process of collecting key witness statements and CCTV^▸ (Closed Circuit Tele Vision). Once the fire is extinguished, and the scene is safe to assess and investigate, they’ll be assisting the ORR^» (Office of Rail and Road formerly Office of Rail Regulation - about) and RAIB^▸ (Rail Accident Investigation Branch) further at the scene.

This was and remains a very challenging incident. I’d like to thank all of our partners for their ongoing support and work to ensure the safety of the surrounding community.”

[Rob on the hill]

Aerial footage of the scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE13pbeW0Kg

[stuving]

That overhead video shows just how big a crash it was - not "just" a derailment.

I reckon you can guess pretty much what happened - give or take some details of the sequence, where a lot was happening in a short time. The loco, and probably a wagon and a half, took the curve round to the right. The rest went straight on, until the angle of pull on the third wagon (the red one) pulled it off the track and onto its side. At the same time, the sharp deceleration due to running derailed led to the back of the train overrunning, with a concertina as wagons went off to the side, and number four was pulled over too. Several couplings broke, which allowed the loco and first two wagons to escape. Dragging wagons along and across the track caused enough heat and sparks to ignite the fuel cargo from at least one, and several others split open.

[welshman]

The double track line curving round to the right is the Swansea & District Line.

The location is Morlais Junction.  The single track straight ahead is effectively the start of the Heart of Wales line towards Pontarddulais.  The line was already out of commission at the other end because of flood damage at Llangynllo near Knighton so it's bustitute time for a good few weeks.

[TonyK]

Aerial footage of the scene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE13pbeW0Kg

Crikey!

[JayMac]

I really hope this isn't another incident related to rainfall and earthworks, although I suspect the crossover will be the main focus.

Lucky for the Fire Service too that there has been heavy rain and that they have a plentiful water supply form the adjacent ponds.

Run off looks likely to major cause for concern.

[Electric train]

That overhead video shows just how big a crash it was - not "just" a derailment.

I reckon you can guess pretty much what happened - give or take some details of the sequence, where a lot was happening in a short time. The loco, and probably a wagon and a half, took the curve round to the right. The rest went straight on, until the angle of pull on the third wagon (the red one) pulled it off the track and onto its side. At the same time, the sharp deceleration due to running derailed led to the back of the train overrunning, with a concertina as wagons went off to the side, and number four was pulled over too. Several couplings broke, which allowed the loco and first two wagons to escape. Dragging wagons along and across the track caused enough heat and sparks to ignite the fuel cargo from at least one, and several others split open.

Hot box? ............. although track condition / defect cannot be ruled out

[grahame]

Could be one of quite a number of things;  we should wait and see, and it may be one of those which surprises us.   But - what - a - mess.  Bad enough to be flammable; thank goodness it was not a passenger train.