BUSINESSES are being warned to notify firefighters of any dangerous substances they are storing following two explosions in the Abingdon area.

Oxfordshire Fire Service says firms in the county have a responsibility to contact them if dangerous substances, or potentially dangerous equipment such as gas or acetylene cylinders, are being kept.

Bob Burrell, station manager at Rewley Road in Oxford, said all firms were required to carry out a fire risk assessment under Fire Safety Order legislation.

He added: "The assessment is designed to enable businesses to manage any fire risk on the premises and safeguard both their employees, anyone on the premises and anyone in the vicinity.

"They should take account of any dangerous substances as part of that risk assessment process."

On January 30, 100 families were evacuated from their homes for almost 36 hours after a cylinder exploded at the petrol station, Sutton Courtenay Tyres.

A week earlier, there was a large explosion at an industrial unit in Abingdon, which narrowly missed setting off 200 gas cylinders and destroying several buildings.

The blast destroyed much of the premises of Abingdon gas-to-liquids firm CompactGTL, in Blacklands Way, which is yards from the busy Fairacres Retail Park.

Seventy firefighters had to tackle the fire to keep it back from the cylinders and a 300m exclusion zone was set up, closing the shopping park. The Health and Safety Executive is now investigating.

Mr Burrell refused to comment on whether the two firms involved in the recent incidents had complied with Fire Safety Order requirements because investigations are still ongoing.

He added: "It is not appropriate at this stage to comment on those two cases but they are both good illustrations of the point that firefighting operations involving dangerous substances will impact on a much wider area.

"A large number of premises may not be aware of their statutory requirements under Fire Safety Order legislation.

"If as a consequence of not notifying us, people are placed at risk of death or injury, then that is an offence."

  • Firms who want to contact the fire service should telephone 0800 0325999.