Cardiff steelworks explosion: Two missing and five injured

Two men are unaccounted for and five have been injured following an explosion at a steelworks in Cardiff.

Emergency services remain at the Celsa Steel UK on East Moors Road in Splott.

One person was treated and discharged at the scene and four were taken to University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff, police said. Their conditions are not known.

South Wales Police is expected to make a statement between 16:15 and 16:45 GMT.

A specialist police search unit has arrived at the scene.

The site was evacuated at 10:30 GMT on Wednesday. A Health and Safety Executive inspector is at the scene.

A fire has been extinguished and the incident is contained to the site, South Wales Police said.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board had implemented its major incidents protocol but this has now been stood down.

Great Western Air Ambulance has landed at nearby Willows High School and is assisting Wales Air Ambulance and Welsh Flying Doctors.

Alice Casey, chief operating officer for the health board, said: "There still may be delays for non-urgent patients attending the Emergency Unit at UHW and we would ask the public to choose well and use the service most appropriate for their condition."

Eight fire appliances, Welsh Ambulance Service's hazardous area team and several ambulances have been at the scene.

A businessman working in the area described hearing a "massive explosion".

The man, who did not want to be named, said: "We heard a very loud explosion and then saw smoke coming up.

"It was a massive explosion, really something. The building we are in shook. We are only 100, 200 yards away from where it happened."

Helen Vernon, who works at nearby Busy Bee's nursery, said: "I went outside and a PCSO said there's been a big explosion. That's all they could tell me.

"We heard this really loud bang. A colleague of mine, who was in the staff room, told me the ceiling shook."

Head of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Fire Control, Jennie Griffiths, tweeted that crews were searching for people.

She added the fire "involves the basement area of the building".

Superintendent Alun Morgan‏ from South Wales police said on Twitter the force was working with "a number of partner agencies" following the reported explosion.

A spokesman for the steelworkers' union Community said: "We are extremely concerned by reports of an explosion at the Celsa steel works in Cardiff.

"A member of our regional team is on his way to the site now to see what assistance we can offer and to seek further clarity on what has happened."

First Minister Carwyn Jones tweeted to say he was receiving regular updates and sent his thoughts to those involved.

Cardiff South and Penarth MP Stephen Doughty said the incident was a "huge shock to the local community".

He added: "I have raised the matter with the secretary of state for Wales this morning in the House of Commons, and he has assured me that the authorities will do all they can to support the immediate operations and also any investigation."

Last year three workers from the plant were taken to hospital with burns.

Celsa directly employs 725 people at its Cardiff site and supports around 3,000 jobs.