News

Major incident declared as Milford Haven fuel train derails in Carmarthenshire

Published

5 years ago

August 27, 2020

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.

Command post for the incident (Pic Herald/R Milsom)

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.”

Firefighters from Llanelli and Swansea dealing with the train fire (Pic Herald/R Milsom)

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.

“Updates will follow as the incident progresses.”

Emergency services coordinate to tackle train fire (Images: Herald/R Milsom)

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.

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.”

A police helicopter circles above the train fire (Pic R Milsom/Herald)

Police block access to the exclusion zone (Pic Herald/R Milsom)

The fire has been described has huge (Image @MissJones1994 Twitter)

Community

Museum acquires rare Tudor gold ring for collection

Published

4 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Valero donation helps secure historic ‘Memento Mori’ treasure found near Uzmaston

A RARE Tudor gold ring dating back more than four centuries has been added to the collection at Haverfordwest Town Museum, thanks to a donation from Valero Pembroke Refinery.

The 6.38-gram gold ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at Uzmaston and Boulston in 2021 and has since been formally declared treasure.

Stylistically dated to between 1550 and 1650, the ring bears the inscription ‘Memento Mori’ – the Latin phrase meaning ‘Remember you must die’ – alongside a small skull motif filled with cross-hatched detailing. Such rings were commonly worn during the Tudor and early Stuart periods as a symbolic reminder of the brevity of life.

Museum curator Dr Simon Hancock said the piece offers a rare and personal glimpse into the beliefs of the period.

He explained: “Such rings, worn by a merchant or member of the gentry, reminded the wearer of the shortness of life. This was a very popular theme during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

“The ring was declared treasure and we are very grateful to Valero for providing a grant towards the treasure valuation, allowing us to secure it for the museum and the people of Pembrokeshire.”

The acquisition ensures the artefact will remain in the county where it was found and will go on public display as part of the museum’s growing local history collection.

Pictured are Ted Sangster, chair of Haverfordwest Castle CIO; Lesley Turner, museum treasurer; Tim Evans, chair of trustees; Stephen Thornton of Valero; Dr Simon Hancock, curator; and Bethany Hope, museum volunteer and social media manager.

News

High Court strikes down Palestine Action ‘terror’ ban

Published

18 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Welsh arrests now deemed unlawful as judges rule proscription breached human rights

THE High Court has ruled that the UK Government acted unlawfully when it branded protest group Palestine Action a terrorist organisation – a decision that directly affects dozens of arrests made in Wales.

In a landmark judgement delivered on Thursday (Feb 13) at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, judges said the ban represented a disproportionate attack on the rights to free speech and peaceful assembly.

The ruling means arrests made under the proscription since last summer could now be unlawful.

Campaigners say at least 34 people were detained in Wales alone.

Palestine Action had been banned under the Terrorism Act 2000 in July 2025, making it a criminal offence to show support for the group. The move marked the first time a non-violent civil disobedience organisation focused on property damage – rather than violence against people – had been classified alongside terrorist groups.

Welsh protesters affected

Demonstrations took place across Wales as part of the nationwide “Lift the Ban” campaign organised by Defend Our Juries.

Silent vigils and placard protests were held in both Cardiff and Swansea.

Campaign figures show:

• 13 arrests outside BBC Wales headquarters last July
• 12 more during November protests in Cardiff
• Nine detained on the steps of the Senedd Cymru

Across the UK, nearly 3,000 people were arrested, including clergy, teachers and pensioners.

Court criticism of Home Office

The case was brought by Palestine Action co-founder Huda Ammori.

After a three-day judicial review, judges Dame Victoria Sharp, Jonathan Swift and Karen Steyn found the Home Office had failed to properly consult the group and had not followed its own proportionality rules.

They ruled the ban breached Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights – protections covering freedom of expression and assembly.

In a statement, Ammori said:
“This is a monumental victory both for our fundamental freedoms here in Britain and for the Palestinian people.”

A Defend Our Juries spokesperson added:
“Branding peaceful protest as terrorism is something you expect from dictatorships, not democracies.”

Border links to Wales

The issue has particular relevance locally.

Palestine Action has frequently targeted sites near the Welsh border, including facilities run by Elbit Systems at Filton and Aztec West, less than thirty miles from Cardiff.

Activists allege the company supplies drones and equipment used in Gaza.

Six protesters were recently acquitted by a jury following damage at the Filton site, arguing their actions were intended to prevent greater harm overseas.

That proximity has drawn many Welsh campaigners into demonstrations, with protests spilling into Wales amid wider concerns over UK arms exports.

Appeal pending

The Government has been granted time to appeal.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said ministers were “disappointed” and would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.

The quashing of the ban has therefore been temporarily paused.

Legal experts warn that while the judgement casts doubt on earlier arrests, individuals may still need separate legal action to clear records or seek compensation.

Wider implications

Civil liberties groups including Amnesty International had warned the proscription risked setting a precedent for using anti-terror laws against non-violent movements such as climate activists.

For many in Wales, the ruling is seen as a reaffirmation of the right to protest.

One Cardiff campaigner said:
“This was never about supporting violence. It was about the right to stand up and speak out.”

With tensions over Gaza continuing and further demonstrations planned, Thursday’s decision is likely to reignite debate over the limits of protest — and how far the state can go to suppress dissent.

For now, however, activists say the High Court has drawn a clear line.

Peaceful protest, judges ruled, is not terrorism.

Community

Editor shares personal Sea Empress memories on BBC Radio Wales

Published

37 minutes ago

February 13, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Milford Haven tug master’s son recalls chaos, courage and family legacy thirty years on

THE EDITOR of The Pembrokeshire Herald has spoken on BBC Radio Wales Breakfast about his family’s connection to the Sea Empress disaster, thirty years after the tanker ran aground off Milford Haven.

Tom Sinclair appeared on the morning programme between 8:00am and 9:00am, reflecting on how the 1996 oil spill unfolded both as a major national story and as something happening outside his own front door.

Sinclair told listeners how he first learned of the grounding while on a school trip abroad, switching on the television in a hotel room to see Milford Haven dominating international news coverage.

***Tom Sinclair, Pembrokeshire Herald’s editor***

He also described how his late father, Thomas Sinclair, was directly involved in the response.

At the time, Mr Sinclair was a senior tug master with Cory Towage and remained at sea to assist with the salvage operation alongside other local crews.

Speaking after the programme, Sinclair said the disaster had always felt “very personal”.

“Our house overlooked the Haven, so everything was happening right in front of us,” he said. “Dad was out there working on the tugs while we were watching it on the news at home.”

He recalls aircraft flying low over the water to spray dispersants and the constant anxiety ashore as storms battered the stranded tanker.

As a teenager, he also helped his father prepare documents relating to escort towing procedures in the aftermath of the incident, typing reports on a home computer in the family attic.

“It was strange talking about it on the radio,” he added. “Dad can’t be here to tell those stories himself now, so it felt like an honour to share some of those memories.”

The Sea Empress spill, which released tens of thousands of tonnes of crude oil, remains one of the worst environmental disasters in British waters and had a lasting impact on Pembrokeshire’s coastline and maritime operations.