Explosion at Salisbury military factory leaves one dead

The explosion happened on Friday at the Chemring Countermeasures factory which produces hardware designed to help protect military ships and aircraft from incoming fire.

Just after 5pm, emergency services were called to the factory in Netton which is roughly three miles from the government's weapons research HQ Porton Down.

According to Wiltshire Police, one person died at the scene, while a second person had been taken to hospital in a critical condition.

“The incident has been contained and there is no risk to the people in the local area,” a spokesperson for the force said.

“Wiltshire Police and the Health and Safety Executive will now be leading the investigation in to the cause of the incident,” he added.

He also said six fire crews from various Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service stations had been called to the plant.

"Six fire crews are in attendance from Salisbury, supported by incident command vehicle from Devizes,” he noted.
"An initial fire on site has now been extinguished and the ambulance service is on the scene.”

In 2014, a fatal accident happened at a Chemring plant in Kilgore, Texas.