A fire at a chemical warehouse south of Perth, Australia caused a significant explosion to occur on 9 October. The blast, which happened at a facility operated by chemical manufacturer Chemsol, was reportedly felt by residents living as far as 21 miles (35km) away from the site.
Emergency services were called to the factory at around 19:45 local time after reports of a large fire at the factory in Bibra Lake, a suburb in the south of Perth. Western Australia’s Department of Fire and Emergency Services said on social media that over 50 firefighters attended the scene overnight and attempted to bring the blaze under control.
As crews battled the fire and made attempts to prevent it from spreading, a large explosion occurred. There have been no reports of injuries as a result of the blast or fire.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services later confirmed that the fire had been contained and brought under control after around 12 hours in the early hours of 10 October. A Hazmat warning was issued during the incident and was kept in place the following day with local residents warned to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed.
Several government agencies, including environmental and water boards, attended the scene on 10 October to ensure that no chemicals had spread beyond the facility.
