Firefighters remain at major Baglan Power Station ‘arson’ blaze

The fire, which started on Friday evening (11 August 2023), was the third suspected deliberately-set fire at the former power station in three months.

At its height, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service say around 30 Firefighters and specialist personnel were on the scene to deal with the incident.

The fire service added that after an extended period of proactive firefighting, the incident was brought under control and the scene stabilised.

It added that throughout Friday night and into Saturday, specialist defensive tactics were used to ensure the fire remained contained and the risk of further spread minimised.

Craig Flannery, Assistant Chief Fire Officer at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “Over the weekend and into today, in collaboration with South Wales Police, Natural Resources Wales and Neath Port Talbot Council, continuous monitoring of the site has taken place to ensure the scene remains safe.

“During this time, we have seen reignitions of fire and our operational crews have dealt with those accordingly.

“There continues to be a small number of fires burning and we will monitor the scene until we are satisfied the fire is out and the scene is safe.”

Whilst the outcomes of an investigation are yet to be concluded, the fire service said it appears at this stage that the incident is a result of a “deliberate act of arson”.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service reiterated their previous warning that not only are those who set deliberate fires endangering themselves, but they are also endangering the lives of crews at the scene, especially at large, complex and dangerous sites such as Baglan Bay Power Station.

The once cutting-edge power station, known for its advanced Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) technology, has had mixed fortunes since it was built on the grounds of the former Isopropanol BP site in September 2003.

Originally owned by General Electric (GE), the power station changed hands in October 2012 when it was sold to a consortium of financial investors, led by Macquarie Group.

Electricity generation stopped at the power station in July 2020 after the company running the facility went into administration.

In the years that have followed, the Baglan Bay Power Station has progressively decayed, becoming a hotspot for criminal activity including trespass, cable theft and fire setting.

(Lead image: Mark Jones)