Man fights for life after blaze horror at Palram DPL

Feb 28 2010 Sunday Sun

A NORTH plant worker was fighting for his life last night after being caught in a chemical fire.

The 37-year-old victim suffered agonising burns to his face, head and upper body, in the blaze at Palram DPL Ltd, in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham.

He was air-lifted to Newcastle General Hospital for treatment before being transferred to intensive care the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), where his condition was being closely monitored.

The injured man, who is from the Newton Aycliffe area, had been working with a powdered agent used in plastic molding when the substance caught fire in a process room at the site, police confirmed.

The employee was still conscious and expressing concern for his children when emergency services arrived at the scene, an onlooker said.

Fire crews called for a chemicals expert at the site over fears the burning powder could be toxic.

The blaze victim and the medical staff who treated him were decontaminated as a precaution.

Firefighters from Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue services were automatically called to the plastics plant by an alarm, at 1.30pm yesterday.

Two members of the crew braved the fire-ravaged mixing room where the accident happened to put out the flames.

A fire investigation has been launched but the rescue team who attended the scene said they would need to speak to the injured man to establish the origins of the blaze.

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the accident and confirmed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been informed.