Local media reported that an explosion at the former Welbeck Colliery site at Meden Vale late on New Year’s Eve has left two men in hospital with serious facial burns.

Police, the fire service and the Health and Safety Eexecutive are investigating after the incident in a building, used as an electrical sub station, at around 7PM.

The explosion is not being treated as suspicious, but investigations into the cause of the explosion are continuing.

A police spokesman said on Sunday afternoon: “Detectives are liaising with the site owners, UK Coal, with the fire service and the Health and Safety Executive to determine the sequence of events leading up to the incident.”

UK Coal, which still owns the land, confirmed to Chad on Sunday that the two seriously injured men were security guards.

(Sourced from chad.co.uk)