News
Major incident declared as Milford Haven fuel train derails in Carmarthenshire
RESIDENTS are being evacuated from their homes after a large diesel freight train, taking fuel from Milford Haven to Reading, caught fire in Carmarthenshire.
Dyfed Powys Police said emergency services were dealing with the blaze, involving at least three carriages, at Llangennech, near Llanelli.
It is thought that the train was hauling hundreds of thousands of litres of diesel fuel.
Dramatic images and footage from the scene near Llangennech show flames and smoke towering into the sky.
An evacuation zone has been put in place, with residents taking shelter at both Bryn School and at the Llangennech Community Centre.
British Transport Police added on Twitter: “Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident on the railway near Llangennech, Wales.
“A large diesel freight train has caught fire. A cordon is in place, with roads closed and surrounding homes being evacuated. Please avoid the area.”
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.”
Updates will follow as the incident progresses, Mr Evans added.
In an official statement, Dyfed-Powys Police said: “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.
“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.”
“Updates will follow as the incident progresses.”
LIVE UPDATES
02:13am UPDATE: Fire service: That three carriages of the train are currently on fire.
02:14am UPDATE: Police: “An evacuation zone has been put in place, with officers contacting people in this area to leave their homes and convene at Bryn School.”
02:14: UPDATE: Police: “Please comply with requests to ensure a swift evacuation process. Several roads are also closed. Please avoid the Llangennech area.”
03:30am UPDATE: Police: “We are receiving a lot of enquiries about the evacuation zone in Llangennech, as people in the area are understandably concerned.”
3:35am UPDATE: Police: “We would like to reassure that officers are calling at homes which need to be evacuated, and a police presence will remain in these streets. If you have not had personal contact from a police officer, please stay indoors and keep your windows closed.
5:00am UPDATE: Herald reporter on scene: “Locomotive has just arrived. Taking 18 carriages 300 meters away from the crash site, as they can’t take them away due to investigation.”
5:52am UPDATE: Dyfed-Powys Police Superintendent Ross Evans said: “This was a fast-moving situation, which was declared a major incident due to the initial risk of harm to people living in the area.
“The policing response was large scale, with officers across the force retained on duty to ensure we had sufficient resources to carry out the evacuation swiftly, as well as the deployment of a logistics specialist to assist and advise our officers on safely moving people from their homes to the reception points.
“The evacuation no doubt caused a significant amount of disruption for those evacuated in the middle of the night, and I would like to personally thank residents for their response, as well as our frontline officers who swiftly moved hundreds of residents out of their homes.
“My thanks also go to our emergency services colleagues for their response, and partners at the local authority for their assistance in finding and opening Bryn School and Llangennech Community Centre as safe points.
“Officers will continue to be visible in Llangennech, and we will continue to work 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 conclusion.”
06:12 UPDATE: Reporter on scene: “Initial reports are that the locomotive involved was a Class 66 locomotive belonging to DB Cargo UK. Unconfirmed source from railtrack said that the driver managed to uncouple and move undamaged carriages to prevent a larger fire.”
06:14 UPDATE: Reporter on scene: “Driver was not injured in the incident.”
6:30: UPDATE: British Transport Police: “Enquiries are underway into the causes of a major incident on the railway in LLangennech, Wales, where a freight train carrying large quantities of diesel caught fire. British Transport Police were called to the scene at 11.29pm on Wednesday 26 August. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Dyfed-Powys Police are also in attendance. A number of carriages derailed and caught fire. Two employees were on board the freight service. They have since been accounted for and no injuries have been reported. The fire continues and there is still a substantial risk within its immediate vicinity, so our advice remains for people to avoid the area. Our officers will be conducting initial enquiries into the incident and are in the process of securing key witness statements and CCTV. Once the fire has been extinguished, and the scene is safe to assess and investigate, we’ll be working with the Office of Rail and Road and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the exact circumstances behind the incident.”
09:31: UPDATE: Dyfed-Powys Police Superintendent Ross Evans said “My thanks also go to our emergency services colleagues for their response, and partners at the local authority for their assistance in finding and opening Bryn School and Llangennech Community Centre as safe points.
“Officers will continue to be visible in Llangennech, and we will continue to work 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 conclusion.”
13:06: UPDATE: Fire brigade update Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service remain at the scene of a major incident in Llangennech, Carmarthenshire.
Joint Fire Control received the first call at 11:10pm on Wednesday (Aug 26).
A freight train, carrying large amounts of diesel oil, caught fire and a number of its carriages had also derailed.
British Transport Police, Dyfed-Powys Police, Wales Ambulance Service Trust, Carmarthenshire County Council and Natural Resources Wales have also attended the incident on the railway line near Llangennech.
At the height of the fire, 14 main appliances were deployed to the incident, along with a high-volume pump, a support vehicle, an environmental unit, a water bowser and a foam pad. Firefighters fought the fire from two sectors.
Fire Service operations have since been scaled down to 8 main appliances, a high-volume pump and a foam tender.
As a precaution, roads were shut, and Dyfed-Powys Police evacuated a large number of homes within a radius of the fire.
Area Manager Simon Jenkins, Corporate Head of Response said: “I would like to say a huge thank you to our crews, who have worked tirelessly to fight and contain the fire at a challenging location and in difficult weather circumstances. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their support and patience to our crews, during what is a very difficult time for local residence and business.”
13:33: UPDATE: Carmarthenshire County Council: “We continue to support emergency services and partner organisations to deal with a major incident in Llangennech. Over a hundred residents were evacuated overnight after a freight train carrying diesel derailed and caught fire. People living within an 800m cordon were asked to leave their homes as a precaution, with a rest centre set up by the council at the nearby local primary school. They have since been allowed to return. Roads around the area were closed for several hours overnight, however only one remains closed – the B4279 Pontarddulais Road, near the Talyclun junction, at Llangennech. British Transport Police are leading the emergency response to the incident, with Dyfed-Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Natural Resources Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council and other partner agencies working alongside them. Natural Resources Wales has confirmed it will assess the impact of the diesel spill as soon as it is safe to do so. Further information will be made available throughout the day. Cllr Emlyn Dole, Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “I would like to thank all emergency services, including our officers, for their swift response to this major incident. I thank all residents who have been affected and who co-operated with requests in what was a frightening situation. Thanks also to staff at Llangennech and Bryn primary schools that opened up to support the emergency response. We will continue to work with emergency services and partners to deal with the aftermath of this incident for as long as is necessary.”
Business
Stena announces redundancy plan amid uncertainty for Pembrokeshire
FREIGHT carrier and ferry operator Stena Line, which runs services between Fishguard and Pembroke Dock, has announced plans to cut up to 80 staff members following an internal review.
Uncertainty looms over whether any of these redundancies will impact staff operating our local ferry services.
Stena CEO Paul Grant shared the news in an email to employees on Monday, citing a need to “future proof the company.” He explained that an internal assessment revealed the company’s current organisational structure as “too big and expensive” compared to its revenue.
The decision comes amid rising costs and increased competition in the freight and travel sectors.
According to Mr. Grant, “Cost pressure due to higher inflation has led to our customers having less money to spend, and with the introduction of the European Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), increasing our prices, we see a decline in volumes for both travel and freight.” Additionally, disappointing sales during the summer season and unmet market growth expectations for 2024 contributed to the restructuring.
The program, designed to strengthen Stena’s long-term business viability, includes a reduction of costs, prioritization of investments, and staff cuts that will primarily impact support functions and consultants. The workforce will be reduced by 80 positions by early 2025, along with 30 consultants also set to leave the company. Discussions with unions and work councils are expected to last several months, with all affected staff to be informed of their status by January 31, 2025.
In response to this announcement, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) has demanded a meeting with Stena Line to clarify the impact of these cuts, particularly on their members.
TSSA General Secretary Maryam Eslamdoust expressed disappointment over the handling of the announcement, stating: “Our members are shocked by this news and outraged that Stena has chosen to sidestep established industrial relations processes. Stena must meet with us urgently to clarify who is at risk and address the potential impacts on our members.”
The layoffs are part of a broader restructuring effort aimed at securing Stena Line’s future amid sustainability challenges. CEO Niclas Mårtensson acknowledged the difficult decision, stating, “Stena Line has been a successful company over the past few years; however, we need to ensure a lower cost base to be able to future proof the company. With 40 vessels in Europe and the Mediterranean, we have significant sustainability challenges ahead of us, and this program will enable us to make necessary investments for the future.”
The TSSA’s letter to Stena reiterates the union’s commitment to supporting affected employees and calls for an immediate discussion to clarify the situation, especially for staff at Fishguard who may be impacted.
News
UK government to appoint first Wales Crown Estate Commissioner
FOR the first time, the UK government will appoint a Crown Estate Commissioner dedicated to advising on matters in Wales, further integrating Welsh interests in board-level decisions. This move supports existing efforts to ensure that Wales benefits from the push for clean energy, following an agreement facilitated by the Welsh Secretary.
An amendment to the Crown Estate Bill, with cross-party backing from Labour, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats, and crossbenchers, will be accepted at today’s Lords Report Stage (Nov 5). This change mandates the appointment of a Wales-specific Commissioner through the Public Appointments process, with input from the Welsh Government. The appointee will bear “an additional responsibility” to represent Welsh conditions and interests, amplifying Wales’s voice within the Crown Estate.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has collaborated with the Treasury, The Crown Estate, House of Lords members, and the Welsh Government to secure this legislative advancement. The Crown Estate, instrumental in drawing international investment to Wales, supports projects like Floating Offshore Wind in the Celtic Sea, which promises cleaner energy and job creation.
The introduction of a Wales-specific Commissioner strengthens The Crown Estate’s mission to serve the entire UK while averting potential market fragmentation and protecting international investor confidence critical to the net-zero transition.
In a related effort, Great British Energy, the government’s new public energy firm, recently partnered with The Crown Estate to expedite renewable energy advancements. This initiative could attract up to £60bn in private investment, boosting the UK’s journey toward energy independence.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens stated: “This is a landmark step toward ensuring that Welsh prosperity is at the heart of the government’s mission to become a clean energy superpower. Our nation stands to benefit hugely from investment in floating offshore wind, and we now have the representation we need to help seize that moment. This demonstrates how Wales benefits directly from its two governments working together, and I’m grateful to Lord Livermore, The Crown Estate, and others for helping to make this happen.”
Sir Robin Budenberg CBE, Chair of The Crown Estate, said: “In seeking to increase the number of Commissioners from eight to twelve, The Crown Estate welcomes the opportunity now presented by this amendment to bring even more direct knowledge and understanding of the areas in which we operate and further strengthen our ability to deliver benefit to the whole of the UK.”
Crime
Arrests made after large-scale cannabis operation raided in Pembroke Dock
POLICE in Pembroke Dock have uncovered yet another large-scale cannabis operation, as part of an ongoing clampdown on illegal farms in the area. On Monday (Nov 4), Dyfed-Powys Police executed a search warrant at a property on Dimond Street, where officers found over 500 cannabis plants in a sophisticated cultivation setup.
Two men, aged 26 and 34, have been arrested in connection with the investigation and are currently in police custody. The raid follows a series of similar operations in Pembrokeshire, targeting properties used for illegal drug cultivation.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
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