From
the BBC» :
BOC 'sorry' for Bristol blast disruption
BOC has apologised to the public for the disruptions caused by a gas explosion at its bottling depot in Bristol last week.
Three men were hurt in the blast which occurred in a storage tank at the Whitby Road site on Thursday. Two were treated for minor wounds. Alan Garton remains in a stable condition at the burns unit of Frenchay Hospital.
The BOC group said it was sorry for the road closures and other disruptions resulting from the blast. "Last week's incident and subsequent fire at the BOC site in Whitby Road, Bristol, taken on top of the huge disruption that the weather has brought all of us, has meant considerable inconvenience to local people and businesses," a statement said. "BOC is hugely sorry for this, but the safety of the public is the most important consideration."
A spokesman for Avon Fire and Rescue Service said it was a complex incident involving a significant number of acetylene cylinders. "I appreciate for members of the public, especially those who have been affected by this incident, it is extremely frustrating as from the outside there is very little to see," he said.
The cordon has been reduced, but a stretch of the road outside the site entrance is still in place until the fire is totally extinguished and the Health and Safety Executive is satisfied there is no further danger to the public.
Most industrial units are now open, but there is still no access to the Renault garage on Whitby Road.