Man missing in gas blast (From Surrey Comet)

Man missing in gas blast

9:58pm Wednesday 5th November 2008

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A man is missing and another was fighting for his life after a gas cylinder exploded at an industrial site.

Emergency services were called to the Mundells, an area near Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, shortly after 3pm on Wednesday.

The cylinder exploded inside a building still under construction.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Fire Service said six men were injured in the blast, one critically. Another man remained unaccounted for.

The injured were taken to Queen Elizabeth II Hospital in Howlands, Herts.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Police said: "Emergency services remain at the scene and a search is being carried out by police officers having been given the all clear by colleagues from the Fire and Rescue Service.

"As the building is still being searched, we cannot confirm if there have been any fatalities, but will do so as soon as is feasible."

Four of the casualties are being treated for minor injuries, one is serious and another is in a critical condition, Hertfordshire Police later said.

Jon Smith, Group Commander of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue, described the scene inside the building. He said: "A cylinder of gas depressurised, there was no actual fire, the gas is inert, which acted like a missile and set off the other cylinders.

"Each cylinder weighs about 50kg and is about 5ft tall, they've made a real mess of the inside of the building, they've taken down walls and floors. They are argon cylinders which were actually being used as a fire suppressant in the building for the computer room."

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