Residents living near the Tata Steel plant in Port Talbot were told to keep windows and doors closed on Thursday after a “major” fire broke out the previous evening, causing “substantial damage” to a vital production line.
The blaze started at one of the site’s processing lines at about 20:00 BST on Wednesday, sending large plumes of smoke visible across the surrounding area. All staff were safely evacuated, the company said.
“Residents told to stay indoors as ‘apocalyptic’ fire at Tata Steel’s Port Talbot plant causes substantial damage to vital production line.”
Siân Thomas, who lives in Margam, recalled hearing a loud bang that “frightened everybody and the animals”, followed by alarms. “The smoke got thicker and the sky was black,” she said. She was “so grateful” to firefighters who worked through the night to bring the blaze under control.
Councillor Kellie Evans, driving along the road near the fire, described the scene as “very apocalyptic”. She said she “couldn’t see the flames because the sky was so black”, adding that many drivers pulled over to look.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said the incident had caused “substantial damage” to a “vital production line”. The Rapid Relief Team UK (RRT) said “around 100 responders faced an incredibly demanding and hazardous night’s work”.
Tata Steel UK said on Thursday evening that Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service remained on site and retained control of the area where the fire took place. “We are therefore currently unable to assess the cause of the fire, the scale of the damage or the potential impact on operations,” the company said.
A company spokesperson confirmed that the fire was restricted to a confined area. While the site’s Hot Rolling Mill was paused as a precaution, it was unaffected and was expected to re-start production shortly. The fire service added that the response had been scaled back throughout Thursday afternoon, with remaining crews expected to leave during the evening.
In a statement, RRT UK said volunteers arrived within 90 minutes of the callout and served 125 hot meals overnight to support crews. The charity added: “We are grateful to every responder who attended this challenging incident.” In a video posted on X, a member of the RRT team said part of the building had “collapsed in”, making it challenging for crews to control and contain the fire.
South Wales Police said emergency services remained at the scene on Thursday and were working to manage the incident, while residents were advised to keep windows and doors closed “if there is smoke in the area”.