Several explosions and one person in hospital after fire at Synthite chemical factory in Mold

One person has been taken to hospital with minor injuries following a large fire at a factory in Mold in Flintshire.

North Wales Fire and Rescue said it was called to the Synthite site on Denbigh Road at 2:06pm on Tuesday 30 April.

Witnesses told ITV Wales they heard several loud explosions in the area.

North Wales Police have warned people to avoid the area, saying the A541 Denbigh Road remains closed for the "foreseeable future", which is likely to impact traffic on Wednesday.

Whilst the fire is now considered to be under control, operations had been continuing overnight at the scene according to the North Wales fire service.

At around 8pm on Tuesday, four crews, the Hazardous material Unit, the Welfare Unit and the Aerial Ladder Platform remained in attendance tackling reports of a fire in the production area.

North Wales Fire said it is being supported by "emergency service colleagues from North Wales Police and WAST, and partners from Local Authority, Public Health Wales and Natural Resources Wales."

The fire service said: "A multi-agency response is working to bring the incident to a safe conclusion, and roads in the area will remain closed until it is safe to reopen them."

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called yesterday (30 April) to reports of a fire on Denbigh Road, Mold."

"We sent two emergency ambulances, one Cymru high acuity response unit paramedic and three operational managers to the scene.

One person was taken to Countess of Chester Hospital for further treatment.”

Residents are being asked to keep their windows and doors closed and switch off air conditioning as a precautionary measure.

In a video sent to ITV News, roaring flames can be seen breaking through the roof of the factory with intermittent explosions.

The witness said he heard around eight or nine blasts.

Synthite manufactures and supplies formaldehyde and related products, and has been based at the site in Mold since 1950s.

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