Blaze at former Marchon plant in Whitehaven

A fire has broken out at the former Marchon site in Whitehaven.

The blaze is in the former security lodge of Solway gate of the ex-chemical plant, at Kells.

It is not known what caused the fire.

West Cumbrian photographer Dave Wilson captured the aftermath of the blaze in these striking images:

It was the last remaining building on the Marchon site.

Thousands of workers – and generations of the same families – at the 133-acre plant, run by Albright and Wilson, would have passed through the gates to and from work.

The plant produced chemicals from the 1950s and was the world’s largest single-site producer of sulphuric acid in Europe and at its height employed 2,500 people.

Rhodia took over Albright and Wilson in 1999 and in 2001, American firm Huntsman bought the Whitehaven site. It finally closed in 2005 and the site was cleared.

Thanks to Dave Wilson for the photos.