Gloucestershire Police have declared a major incident and evacuated properties in the village of Whelford, located near RAF Fairford, which hosts a United States Air Force base. Several men have been taken into custody on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act.
Residents from the affected area have been relocated to a nearby leisure centre while investigations are underway. A large presence of emergency services has been deployed to the scene, including a Hazardous Area Response Team.
The Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal unit is currently examining a number of vehicles at the site. Authorities have established a cordon around the area and stated that they believe the situation is contained.
In a statement, Gloucestershire Police confirmed they are working closely with partner agencies and activating pre-existing emergency protocols. The force noted that the arrests and evacuations are directly linked to the suspected explosives offenses.
I live nearby and was so worried seeing all those emergency vehicles. Relief that it’s under control now.
How serious are the explosives charges? I wonder if this is linked to recent unrest in other parts of the country.
Glad to hear the threat is contained and everyone is safe. Thanks to the swift response teams.