THE EXTREME heat may have been responsible for a fire which destroyed PVC pellets at a warehouse on the Hawksworth Industrial Estate.
The fire broke out in a storage area at the back of the Doeflex-Vitapol warehouse in Newcome Drive at 7.20pm yesterday.
Firefighters received several calls from worried residents who could see huge clouds of thick black smoke pouring from the site.
Four appliances and an emergency response unit attended the blaze.
Residents in the nearby Barnum Court were told to stay indoors and close their windows because of fears that fumes from the blaze could be dangerous.
Police also closed Kemble Drive because of safety concerns. Fire crews from Swindon, Stratton and Westlea had the blaze under control within minutes. Twelve bales of plastic pellets were damaged.
One fire officer was taken to the Great Western Hospital for the effects of breathing in chemical vapours. No one else was injured.
Fire officers are to investigate how the fire started.
Acting Sub-officer Paul Jarmey, who was in charge of the operation, said: "At this stage we believe the extreme temperatures may have caused the plastic to self-combust."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article