Summary

  • Updates on Wednesday 24 February 2016

  • More news, sport, travel and weather from 08:00 on Thursday

  1. Our coverage through the daypublished at 18:30

    Thanks for joining us on BBC Local Live for Oxfordshire today.

    If there are any developments at Didcot overnight you will find coverage on the BBC news website.

    We will be back live at 08:00 tomorrow.

    Flowers at Didcot
  2. Didcot power station collapse: What we knowpublished at 18:25

    As darkness falls on the Didcot Power Station site for a second time since the building collapse let's look back at what we now know: 

    • Emergency services were called to Didcot A Power Station at about 16:00 yesterday
    • One person is dead and three are missing after the partial collapse of a 10 storey building 
    • It's considered "highly unlikely" that they will be found alive
    • One feared dead has been named on social media as Michael Collings
    • Five people were taken to hospital - one has been discharged, three are expected to leave today, and one remains in a stable condition  
    • The remaining structure is "unstable" and "unsafe"
    • Sniffer dogs, listening devices and drones have all been used in the search
    • The search operation could take days, possibly weeks, the fire service has warned
    • The building had been due to be demolished and the Health and Safety Executive is investigating

  3. 'No air quality issues' following collapse at Didcot Apublished at 18:17

    According to Oxfordshire County Council district environmental health officers have liased with teams onsite at Didcot A and concluded "there are no air quality issues".  

  4. Police 'trying to establish' what led to the collapse at Didcot Apublished at 18:10

    Assistant Chief Constable Scott Chilton from Thames Valley Police said the cause of the building collapse at the decommissioned plant was not yet known.

    Emergency vehicles at the site of the collapse at Didcot A
    Quote Message

    We’re trying to establish the facts that led up to the circumstances regarding this incident and we’re working closely with the Health and Safety Executive to understand the cause. The priority at this time is the recovery of the persons missing, and we will secure any evidence forensically and then determine how a future investigation will progress.

    Scott Chilton, Thames Valley Police

  5. Tonight's TV: The latest from the scene at Didcotpublished at 18:01

    South Today

    On South Today this evening: The search is continuing at Didcot Power Station after part of a building collapsed yesterday. Three men are still missing - and hope is fading of finding them alive.

    Media caption,

    Geraldine Peers brings you the stories coming up at 18:30

     Join Geraldine Peers for all the south's news at 18:30.  

  6. 'Shared learning' in fire service approach to rescuepublished at 17:56

    Chief Fire Officer Dave Etheridge said the fire service had called on the advice of colleagues in Cheshire and Merseyside who dealt with a similar incident at a wood mill in Cheshire.

    Explosion site at Wood Treatment Limited in Bosley
    Quote Message

    Following the search from the Bosley mill fire that occurred last year, their expertise and shared learning from their incident has helped us with ours.

    Dave Etherington, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

  7. Police thank rescue support teampublished at 17:51

    Thames Valley Police has thanked the team supporting the rescuers in their search for three missing people at the Didcot A site.

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  8. Video: Footage from Didcot as the search for the missing goes onpublished at 17:43

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  9. Rapid Relief Team assist with Didcot responsepublished at 17:35

    The charity Rapid Relief Team has been helping with the Didcot Power Station search effort.

    Rapid Relief Team in DidcotImage source, Rapid Relief Team

    It says two teams and support trailers have been providing refreshments and support for emergency works.

    Volunteers have been drafted in from Reading, Didcot and surrounding areas.

  10. Man feared dead named on social media as Michael Collingspublished at 17:21 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016
    Breaking

    One of those feared to have died in the Didcot collapse has been named on social media as Michael Collings, widely known as Mick. 

    Whitby MickImage source, Teesriders MCC

    In a post on the Teesriders MCC Facebook page, he's described as a "good friend and dedicated member" of the Club. 

    Tributes have also been left to him on a family member's Facebook profile.

  11. The UK has the 'safest demolition industry in the world'published at 17:12

    BBC Radio Oxford

    The editor of Demolition News, external, Mark Anthony, has been talking to BBC Radio Oxford.

    He said standards in the UK were very exacting and that Coleman and Company, the firm in charge of the Didcot demolition, is the "best of the best".

    Didcot Power Station A following building collapseImage source, PA

    Mark also told Radio Oxford that the UK's demolition sector is the safest in the world and likened it to the aviation industry.

    Quote Message

    We all go off on our summer holidays and take our business trips and don't think very much about it until there's an air crash, and demolition is very much the same.

    Mark Anthony, Editor of Demolition News

  12. Update on injured workers from John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxfordpublished at 16:53

    Five people were taken to the John Radcliffe following the collapse yesterday and a major incident was declared.

    The hospital said one was discharged last night and three further patients will be leaving today, while the final patient is described as being in a stable condition.

    Quote Message

    I would like to thank all our staff who responded so quickly and efficiently last night to the major incident... Our thoughts are with all the families of those involved in this tragic incident.

    Dr Bruno Holthof, Chief executive of Oxford University Hospitals

  13. Chief fire officer: 'We will do everything we can'published at 16:34

    Despite saying that it's "highly unlikely" that the missing workers are alive, chief fire officer David Etheridge says they'll do everything they can.

    He also said they are making progress, but warned the operation could take days, possibly several weeks.

    The full joint police and fire service statement has now been published online, external.

    David Etheridge gives press statement
    Quote Message

    I have given a personal undertaking to the families that we will do everything we can to recover their loved ones and that is what we are trying to do. My heart goes out to them as they wait for news.

    David Etheridge, Chief fire officer, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

  14. Hampshire helps Didcot effortpublished at 16:13

    Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has joined the team working at Didcot Power Station after yesterday's building collapse that killed one person with three still missing.

    Didcot Power Station and Fire and Rescue lorry

    Support teams from West Midlands, Buckinghamshire and Merseyside have also been assisting the search.

  15. What we know so farpublished at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    Nearly 24 hours on from the building collapse at Didcot A Power Station lets look back at what we now know: 

    • Emergency services were called to Didcot A Power Station at about 16:00 yesterday
    • One person is dead and three are missing after the partial collapse of 300m, 10 storey building 
    • It's considered "highly unlikely" that they will be found alive
    • The remaining structure is "unstable" and "unsafe"
    • Sniffer dogs, listening devices and drones have all been used in the search
    • The search operation could take days, possibly weeks, the fire service has warned
    • The building had been due to be demolished and the Health and Safety Executive is investigating

    We'll continue to bring you the latest developments as we get them, and they'll be more live updates on BBC Radio Oxford with David Prever from 16:00.

  16. What's left of the 'unstable' buildingpublished at 15:36 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    We heard from the fire service earlier who told us there's still a huge risk that the rest of the building might collapse.

    What remains following the Didcot Power Station collapse

    This photo from Radio Oxford's Amanda Dellor gives a hint of just how unstable the remaining structure is.  

  17. Npower send their condolencespublished at 15:20 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    Npower, which operated Didcot A Power Station, external before decommissioning started in 2013, has reacted to the news from the fire service that it's now considered 'highly unlikely' that the three missing people will be found alive.

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  18. Eyewitness: 'The rumble was terrific'published at 15:09 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    Marilyn Shadbolt is one of the Didcot residents who spoke to BBC Radio Oxford earlier.

    She heard the building collapse at about 16:00 yesterday but not think it sounded like an explosion, she said there was just a terrific rumble.  

    Marilyn Shadbolt
    Quote Message

    I just hope that they get rid of the rest of the building as quickly as they can because it looks so precarious.

    Marilyn Shadbolt, Didcot resident

  19. Missing people's families 'distraught'published at 14:58 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    The families of the people missing after yesterday's collapse at Didcot Power Station are "distraught", Oxfordshire's chief fire officer David Etheridge says.

    At a news conference Mr Etheridge confirmed that the families had been told that it was unlikely the missing people were alive.

  20. The view from Didcot's railway stationpublished at 14:46 Greenwich Mean Time 24 February 2016

    This was the sight that greeted commuters at Didcot's train station this morning.

    The remains of the collapsed turbine hall is just visible from this photo taken by BBC Radio Oxford reporter Lilley Mitchell.

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