Foul play ruled out of investigation into Welsh train fire
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
No evidence of foul play has been found in an investigation into a freight train that derailed and then caught fire in south Wales, police have said.
The train consisted of 25 wagons each holding up to 76 tonnes of diesel or gas oil, and came off the tracks in Llangennech, near Llanelli, on Wednesday night.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the derailment and subsequent damage to ten of the wagons “resulted in a significant spillage of fuel and a major fire”.
But following investigations by the British Transport Police (BTP) criminal involvement in the incident has been ruled out.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Langley, from BTP, said: “Thanks to the efforts of our officers and our colleagues from across the emergency services in making the scene safe at Llangennech, we have been able to conduct an initial investigation into this incident.
“Our initial findings are that the derailment is not believed to have been caused by criminal activity.
“We are therefore handing primacy of the scene to the Office of Rail and Road so that it can carry out its own specialist investigation.
“I would like to once again thank our officers for their efforts during this challenging incident, and I am grateful to all of our partners for their help and support in ensuring the safety of the local community.”
Shortly after the derailment, local people reported “seeing a plume of flames and smoke, and the strong smell of fuel”, and witnesses described hearing a loud bang before seeing the fire.
