Fire in Hermitage prompts soldiers' evacuation

Cordon thrown around area of workshop fire due to dangers posed by highly explosive cylinder

SOLDIERS at an army barracks in Hermitage had to be evacuated last night after a nearby workshop burned to the ground and a highly explosive acetylene cylinder posed a further threat of danger.

Priors Court road had to be closed in both directions after 18 firefighters from Newbury, Hungerford and Tilehurst were called to the fire at 11.30pm last night (Thursday), which had started in a workshop in a barn at the junction of Old Street and Priors Court Road.

A 200m cordon was set up around the scene of the incident.

Two remotely controlled robots were sent to examine the cylinder using visual and thermal imaging cameras.

Crew manager of Red Watch firefighters, Newbury, Mike Wilson, said this morning: "It was a wooden workshop/garage, about 15m by 15m and burnt to the ground when we got there."

He added that firefighters had to withdraw from the scene due to the dangers posed by the acetylene cylinder inside, and said: "Acetylene is very explosive - if it heats up it can explode very violently."

Hoses tied to fences were trained on the cylinder to cool it down, and one fire crew was set to continue monitoring the scene for 24 hours.

The immediate area was evacuated, and soldiers based at Denison Barracks army base had to bed down for the night in a nearby gymnasium.

Acres of Fun nursery, opposite the scene of the fire, has been temporarily closed.

Hermitage Primary School is also closed due to problems with the water supply.

As at 9.30am this morning (Friday) highways officers confirmed that Priors Court Road remains closed in both directions and is likely to do so for some time.

UPDATE 11.20AM

Priors Court Road remains closed from the M4 bridge to Crabtree Lane.

A diversion is in place via the A34, A339 and B4409, suitable for heavy vehicles.

Other local routes may be suitable for cars only.

UPDATE 2.13PM

Priors Court Road re-opened in the last half hour, West Berkshire council's highways department has confirmed