Firefighters battle industrial estate blaze through night with six men in hospital

Firefighters have battled a blaze at an industrial estate in North Lanarkshire through the night after six men were taken to hospital.

Emergency services, including six fire appliances, six ambulances, a trauma team and a resuscitation rapid response unit, were sent to Blairlinn industrial estate in Cumbernauld at around 2.30pm on Tuesday.

The incident happened at the Moock Environmental Solutions factory, a toner cartridge recycler, which has operated in Cumbernauld for over 25 years.

Footage showed thick black smoke billowing into the sky as the blaze engulfed a single-storey building. Eyewitnesses could smell fumes from the fire miles away.

Six casualties, all men aged between 20 and 66, were taken to hospitals by the Scottish Ambulance Service for treatment.

Five patients were taken to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and one was transported to University Hospital Monklands.

David Hamilton

Their condition is not believed to be life-threatening.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said two pumps and and a high-reach appliance were still at the scene at on Wednesday morning.

People in the Greenfaulds area of Cumbernauld were advised to stay indoors and keep their doors and windows shut because of smoke on Tuesday evening.

Morgan Collins, who was working in the estate at the time the fire started, described the moments after he heard a “loud bang”.

“You could see it for miles”, he said.

Police Scotland said emergency services were likely to remain at the scene for some time as the incident remains ongoing.

Sergeant Kevin Anderson said: “A multi-agency response remains ongoing and we continue to ask members of the public to avoid the area at this time.

“The fire is contained to within the industrial premises. However, we would continue to ask residents in the Greenfaulds area to keep their windows and doors closed and to stay indoors due to smoke.

“An investigation will be carried out in due course to establish the cause of the fire.”

A spokesperson for Moock Environmental Solutions thanked emergency services for their swift response to the “devastating” fire.

“Emergency services responded swiftly, and the situation is under control. Staff made it out safely and were treated at the scene. Some taken to hospital for further checks,” the statement read.

“There is perhaps some confusion in the press about what we do. We are a toner cartridge recycler who break down toner cartridges to their components metal, plastic and is further recycled with our granulated plastic being used in composite decking and the recovered toner powder is turned into pigment where it is sent to be mixed into concrete bricks.”

It added: “Our priority is the safety and well-being of all of those affected. We are cooperating fully with the authorities and will provide updates as more information becomes available.

“Thank you for your understanding at this difficult time.”

A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 2.35pm on Tuesday, April 1, to reports of a building fire at 60 Mid Road, Blairlinn Industrial Estate, Cumbernauld.

“Operations Control initially mobilised two appliances to the scene and on arrival firefighters found one single storey building well alight.

“A further four appliances, two high reach appliances and specialist resources were mobilised to support firefighting crews.

“Six casualties were passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

“Two appliances, two high reach appliances and firefighting crew still remain on scene this morning, Wednesday April 2, as they continue to control the fire.”

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