Huge 'carbon neutral' UK science lab bursts into flames, 10 fire crews needed, lab had won 'sustainability' awards- UK Daily Mail

9/12/14, "New £15million ($24M US) 'carbon neutral' university laboratory goes up in flames: Students warned to stay indoors as 60 firefighters battle blaze," UK Daily Mail, Sian Boyle

 

"Dozens of firefighters were last night battling an ‘explosive’ blaze at a new £15million laboratory at Nottingham University.

Students were warned to stay indoors and close all windows and doors to avoid flying debris as the fire tore through the GlaxoSmithKline Carbon Neutral Laboratory – which was due to open next month.

A university spokesman insisted an open day would take place as planned today, despite the huge blaze which lit up the sky for miles around, sending plumes of smoke could be seen across the city high into the sky.

Onlookers reported hearing several explosions as 60 firefighters fought to bring the blaze under control. There were no reports of casualties.

Around 600 students live on the Jubilee Campus, but thousands study there on a daily basis.

Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service dispatched ten crews to the university’s Jubilee Campus site.

Crews used two aerial platforms to help fight the fire from above and Nottinghamshire Police provided a helicopter to monitor the spreading flames.

Student Pollyanna Ward said last night: ‘It just looked like a really bright light was coming from the building, then the building burst into flames.'

She added: ‘The police and firefighters have blocked off Faraday Road, but there was a massive crowd gathering to watch.’

The 65-acre campus has won international awards for sustainability and is the site of the University’s business school and innovation centre, as well as a 60m high steel structure ‘Aspire’, the tallest piece of public artwork in the UK.

Another student, who did not wish to be named, said: ‘I could see plumes of smoke, embers flying everywhere. The Aspire tower was lit up orange and I could see a few flames from my bedroom window.’

Last night a spokesman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue said: ‘We are dealing with a significant incident.

‘We were called at 8.36pm to a building under construction. The building is part of the University of Nottingham campus.’

Dr Paul Greatrix, Registrar at The University of Nottingham, said last night: 

‘Firefighters are currently on site dealing with a major fire at our GSK sustainable chemistry building on Jubilee Campus.

‘Thankfully, there have been no casualties as this is a building that was still under construction. Our number one priority is to ensure that the fire does not spread to other buildings in the vicinity and we are grateful to the fire teams on site who have worked extremely hard to contain the blaze.

‘Tomorrow we are due to welcome prospective students and their families to Nottingham for our Open Day and we would like to stress that this is still going ahead as planned.’"

Image: "Lighting up the sky: Some 60 firefighters were last night battling an ‘explosive’ blaze at a new £15million laboratory at Nottingham University," Ross Parry via UK Daily Mail. via Lucianne

=====================

One British pound=$1.625 US dollars

15 million pounds= approx. $24,375,000 USD