Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has been called to GKN Aerospace in East Cowes for the second time in as many days this evening (Saturday).
Fire crews from Newport and Ryde have been mobilised to the factory on Ferry Road having been alerted to reports of a fire within an industrial oven – understood to be the autoclave – at around 18:00.
Members of the public have told Island Echo that fire alarms could be heard sounding prior to the emergency services’ arrival, with workers having now been vacated.
2 fire appliances from Newport Fire Station along with an appliance from Ryde Fire Station have been called to the factory to investigate and extinguish the fire.
Further appliances have been reported responding to the scene alongside a fire duty officer and the Incident Command Unit from Newport.
Firefighters were called to GKN yesterday evening to a sprinkler room fire.
Island Echo readers have informed us that police are also present.
Shanklin Fire Station has been turned out to provide standby cover at Newport whilst crews are in East Cowes.
UPDATE @ 18:30 – A spokesperson for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service has said that indicated temperatures were noticed to be extremely higher than normal within the affected autoclave oven.
The fire has now been extinguished, however, the cause is yet unknown. Smoke is being ventilated out of the building with the workers returning to continue with their duties.
Fire crews are beginning to stand down from the incident.
Is it one of the autoclaves I believe these have built in fire suppression a case of letting it self cool and standing by when cooled enough to open the door .and see the thousands of pounds worth of damage to what was ever being baked
Vaping in the Autoclaves?
Job card would of been left in there on one of the jigs.Not properly inspected before door was closed
Fires in autoclaves can be very fierce, due to it running at 7 atmospheres pressure. Normally they try to use an inert gas in there to prevent this happening!