School evacuated after fuel tanker fire

A school has been evacuated following a fuel tanker fire in Telford which saw burning fuel running down the street.

West Mercia Police said flames broke out on Marlborough Way in the Newdale area just after midday on Tuesday.

Children from Newdale Primary School, based on the same road, were taken to a nearby Morrisons supermarket to be picked up by their parents, with one telling the BBC that the pupils' playground had been "engulfed in smoke".

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service advised people to stay away from the scene and asked those living nearby to keep all windows and doors closed.

Natasha Jones, who lived close to the scene, said she saw black smoke coming from the area while she was at work.

"I obviously panicked because my son attends the school there and I live there," she said.

After being reassured by the school that the children were safe, Jones returned home and said there were "fire engines everywhere".

"All I smelt walking home was petrol," she added.

Jacob Hill, the parent of a Newdale Primary School pupil, praised the way the school handled the situation.

He said when he picked up his child, he was told the whole playground had been "engulfed in smoke" and the school had acted quickly to get the children to run to safety.

The head teacher then worked with local businesses to get them into shelter until they could be picked up.

Hill said the incident had been "very frightening" and many children were crying when parents arrived.

But he added: "The way that it has been handled by Newdale Primary School was absolutely exceptional."

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had sent nine vehicles to deal with the fire.

Adam Tempest, the incident commander, said when they arrived, burning fuel was running down the hill.

"The crews did well in the initial stages to knock that back so we could then focus on the vehicle," he added.

A "running fire" of this type had the potential to cause "a lot of risk and damage" he added.

Some damage was done to bushes close to the road and he said the road might need resurfacing, but they were able to prevent the fire spreading to nearby homes or the school.

West Midlands Ambulance Service said one man was checked over at the scene before being taken to hospital for further treatment.

Nobody else needed attention, a spokesperson added.

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