Fire at Work

More than 50 firefighters were called out to tackle a massive blaze at a paper mill in Kent, it has been reported.

Ten fire engines and specialist appliances from stations across the county were called to Snodland Paper Mill, with officers working throughout the night to bring the fire under control.

The fire is understood to have started in a waste compactor, and quickly spread to 500 tons of baled paper. No-one is believed to have been injured in the blaze.

Crews from stations including Strood, Marden, Larkfield, Halling, Borough Green, Ashford, Maidstone, Paddock Wood and Faversham used water from the River Medway and hydrants on the site to fight the blaze.

Relief crews were later put in place, and were working with the site manager to break up the stacks and damp down the paper.

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David Urpeth at law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "Major fires pose a risk to workers, local residents and emergency services.

"I have represented many people who have been injured or killed in industrial accidents.

"Whilst I am relieved that in this case the early reports are that no one has been injured, my experience of major incidents is that the early reports are often wrong.

"Anyone injured or affected by this or any other similar accident should seek legal advice as soon as possible."

Mr Urpeth represented over 75 workers and many residents who were injured in the 2001 blast at the Killingholme refinery when over 170 tonnes of liquid petroleum gas caught fire. Conoco-Phillips, who owned the plant, was eventually fined £1m for breaching health and safety regulations after the explosion at its Humber refinery.