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There has been an explosion at a site belonging to BAE Systems, Britain’s biggest defence firm, in south Wales.
It happened at BAE Systems in Glascoed, Monmouthshire, at 10:49 BST on Wednesday, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said.
BAE Systems said safety protocols were “immediately enacted” and emergency services attended the site.
It said there were no injuries and no risk to local residents.
“The exact cause of the incident is still under investigation,” a spokeswoman said, adding that the Health and Safety Executive had also been informed of the incident.
South Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it had been called to the scene and that an incident control post had been established.
The Welsh Ambulance Service said it attended the scene, but nobody required treatment.
The BAE systems site was established to help prepare the Royal Navy ahead of World War Two.
Today, it employs about 500 people.
At the scene
Stephen Fairclough, BBC Wales reporter
The explosion happened within a building and an incident command centre was set up by the emergency services within the factory.
BAE Systems have said that no one was injured and that there is no risk to the local population, but that an incident investigation is underway and that emergency protocols were put in place to ensure that the safety of the people who are working the factory and the people who live nearby were maintained.
This site was established as a munitions factory in the Second World War. Today it makes munitions and finishes them off before they are sent to the armed services.
Primarily an arms factory, last year work began on a bomb-making building at the site.
In 2020, the site received a £32m upgrade as part of a £2.4bn UK-wide contract to supply the armed forces.
BAE Systems said the money would help secure 555 jobs over 15 years at Glascoed.
The funds were set aside to refurbish and upgrade manufacturing lines making ammunition, mortars, medium and large calibre artillery and tank shells.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
