Black smoke fills the air as fire breaks out at former oil refinery

A major incident was declared after a fire broke out at a former oil refinery in Pembrokeshire. Images taken near the Impala Terminal in Milford Haven showed huge plumes of black smoke filling the air on Monday evening with fire crews rushing to the scene. Police were also in attendance and members of the public were advised to stay away from the area. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed "several" fire crews had been called to the Impala Terminals Infrastructure site in Milford Haven. A spokesman said a "confined fire" was first reported at 5.11pm on Monday and it involved a "disused oil tanker". Fire crews were expected to remain at the scene overnight but shortly after 9pm a spokesman said the blaze was "under control" and some appliances had left the area. On Tuesday morning, a spokeswoman confirmed that crews left the scene late on Monday after the fire was extinguished. A fire service statement issued at 9.48pm on Monday said: “Fire crews from Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, and Pembroke Dock are currently in attendance at the scene. “A major incident was declared but has since been rescinded and crews are making good progress in dealing with the incident. “The fire involves a decommissioned oil tank containing residual crude oil and approximately 60 cylinders including a mixture of propane and oxygen cylinders. “A large plume of black smoke is visible from the area. All persons have been accounted for. “Dyfed-Powys Police received reports of the fire at around 5.10pm and officers attended swiftly, working alongside emergency service partners as part of a coordinated multi-agency response. “One casualty has been reported, believed to have sustained minor injuries, and is receiving appropriate care. “Resources from the Welsh Ambulance Service University NHS Trust attended the scene to provide additional support but were not required to convey any patients to hospital. “Pembrokeshire County Council emergency planning officers have joined the multi-agency response to the incident while council highways staff assisted emergency service colleagues with road closures around the Impala facility. “Roads in the area have now reopened. “However emergency services and partner agencies remain at the scene and are working closely together to manage the incident safely. “There is not believed to be a wider risk to the public at this time. “Please avoid the immediate area where possible and allow access for emergency service vehicles. “Local residents are advised to keep windows and doors closed if there is thick smoke in the area. “Further updates will be provided as information becomes available.” According to its website Impala is a "leading global storage infrastructure operator that stores, handles, and moves the essential resources that are critical to everyday life". Scroll down for updates and remember you can get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here :