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Explosion at Salisbury military factory leaves one dead

Second person seriously injured in blast at defence plant in Wiltshire

Tom Barnes
Saturday 11 August 2018 00:05 BST
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The blast took place at the factory of Chemring Countermeasures in Salisbury on Friday evening
The blast took place at the factory of Chemring Countermeasures in Salisbury on Friday evening (Google)

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One person has died and another has been seriously injured following an explosion at a military factory in Salisbury.

Emergency services were called to the plant of defence firm Chemring Countermeasures in High Post, close to Porton Down, just after 5pm on Friday.

Wiltshire Police said one person had been killed in the blast, while a second person had been taken to hospital in a serious condition.

“The incident has been contained and there is no risk to the people in the local area,” a spokesperson for the force added.

“Wiltshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive will now be leading the investigation in to the cause of the incident.”

Authorities said no one else had been injured in the incident.

Six fire crews from various Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service stations were called to the factory to tackle an initial fire, which has since been extinguished.

The victim’s next of kin have been informed.

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