Tata Steel fire live: Port Talbot site alarms sound as black smoke pours into sky

Tata Steel carried out a controlled demolition of a gas holder at the Port Talbot site earlier on Wednesday evening.

There is no suggestion the demolition, which the company said was carried out safely, is linked to the ongoing incident at the steelworks. Local residents reported their homes “shook” when the gas holder was brought down.

Shortly after the demolition, the company said: “People working and living in the Port Talbot area may have just heard a loud noise emanating from the Port Talbot steelworks.

“This was the result of the planned demolition of the empty, redundant coke ovens gas holder, which has been completed safely as part of the ongoing engineering works on the site. The gas holder ceased operation with the closure of the site’s heavy-end in September 2024.

“This demolition was required to make space for future raw materials handling areas for the new three million tonne per year capacity electric arc furnace.

“Our thanks goes to the whole team involved from Tata Steel and our contractor partners Thompson of Prudhoe and PDC, in what was a complex programme of work. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.”