A huge fire on a freight train carrying diesel sparked a mass evacuation in the middle of the night in south Wales.
Two train employees were injured as a number of carriages derailed and caught fire while three cars were set alight.
Emergency crews were scrambled to Llangennech, near Llanelli, and nearby homes were forced to evacuate as flames and giant plumes of black smoke billowed into the sky.
A major incident was declared after the fire was reported at 11.20pm, with officers going door-to-door within an 800-metre exclusion zone asking people to move to the nearby Bryn School and Llangennech community centre.
People were allowed to return to their homes after 5am this morning.
Superintendent Ross Evans said: ‘The safety of people living in the area was our immediate priority and an evacuation zone was put in place to minimise the risk of harm.’
British Transport Police Assistant Chief Constable Sean O’Callaghan added: ‘This is a significant incident.
‘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.’
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