Cheshire explosions: fire rages as four trapped by mill blast

Four people are believed to be trapped amid a "raging" fire at a wood treatment works near Macclesfield following several explosions.

Three people have been taken to hospital with burns in what Cheshire Constabulary has declared a "major incident".

A four-storey building collapsed at Wood Flour Mills in Bosley this morning and firefighters are yet to rule out further explosions.

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The "vast majority of staff are accounted for and safe and well", said police. However, one 29-year-old woman was said to have sustained "serious burns" and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest.

Six ambulances, two rapid response vehicles, an air ambulance and 15 fire engines were said to have attended the scene.

Ch Insp Paul Carroll, from Cheshire Constabulary, told BBC Radio Stoke: "The fire is still raging at this point in time. We've had a number of multiple explosions on site which have hindered our access in searching for unaccounted persons."

The cause of the explosions is not yet known.

One woman, who lives less than half a mile from the mill, said the first blast sounded as if "a car had just crashed into the house with a very deep bang". It shook her whole house, rattling windows and doors, "just like an earthquake", she said. "The black and grey smoke plummeted up along with flames and has engulfed the valley below."

Another witness told Sky News that he heard a "massive explosion" and saw a "big fireball rising from the building".

Residents nearby have been told to close their windows and doors because of smoke coming from the site.