Emergency services rush to scene of fire at Tata Steel - live updates

NewsLatest Wales NewsPort TalbotLIVEUpdated 8 mins agoEmergency services rush to scene of fire at Tata Steel - live updatesPolice and fire crews are at the scene of a fire at the Tata Steel plant in Port TalbotThick black smoke fills the air above Port Talbot's Tata Steel plant on Wednesday nightCommentsNewsJonathon Hill News reporterEmergency services are at the scene of a fire at the Tata Steel site in Port Talbot. Police and fire crews are at the scene while large plumes of smoke can be seen rising from the plant. Videos shared with WalesOnline show smoke billowing from the site earlier this evening. A spokesperson for South Wales Police has urged residents in the surrounding areas to close their doors and windows. A spokesperson for the force said: "Emergency services are currently dealing with an incident at Tata Steel, Port Talbot. Large plumes of smoke are visible in the area. "Residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed. Please avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. Thank you for your patience." You can follow updates below. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here. We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice New UpdatesToday23:21 BSTPictures from the scenePictures from the scene show black smoke billowing into the air above the plant in Port Talbot shortly after 9pm. CommentsJonathon HillToday23:13 BSTTata carried out controlled demolition earlier on Wednesday eveningTata carried out a controlled demolition of a gas holder earlier on Wednesday evening. There is no suggestion at the moment that the earlier demolition of the gas holder, which the company said was done safely, is linked to the ongoing incident at the site. Earlier on Wednesday local residents said their homes "shook" as a result of the demolition of the gas holder. The company apologised for any inconvenience caused. They said: "People working and living in the Port Talbot area may have just heard a loud noise emanating from the Port Talbot steelworks. "This was the result of the planned demolition of the empty, redundant coke ovens gas holder, which has been completed safely as part of the ongoing engineering works on the site. The gas holder ceased operation with the closure of the site’s heavy-end in September 2024. "This demolition was required to make space for future raw materials handling areas for the new three million tonne per year capacity electric arc furnace. "Our thanks goes to the whole team involved from Tata Steel and our contractor partners Thompson of Prudhoe and PDC, in what was a complex programme of work. We apologise for any inconvenience caused." You can read more on that here. (Image: John Myers) CommentsJonathon HillFollow Wales Online:X (Twitter)InstagramComments‌ ‌ ‌ ‌