Glasgow, May 12: Four people were killed and an unknown number of others trapped after a huge explosion virtually levelled a plastics factory in Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, firefighters said. "We still think there are people in there alive," firemaster Brian Sweeney told reporters yesterday at the scene nine hours after the blast, adding that rescue dogs were being sent into the rubble to try and locate those trapped.
Four people were confirmed dead -- three at the scene-- and 43 others were taken to hospital, of whom 17 were thought to be in a serious condition, emergency services said.
Rescuers continued their frantic efforts into the night, working under floodlights to pull rubble away from the remains of the four-storey building in scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of a major earthquake.
They later withdrew to allow the dogs to hunt for survivors.
The last person to be rescued was a young woman pulled from the rubble at around with Sweeney saying that she was expected to make a full recovery despite being found in "distressing circumstances".
Fire officers said earlier that they believed ten people were trapped in the destroyed factory, and that they were in contact with five of these.
However Sweeney said that this contact had been lost.
"There are not now any survivors with whom we are in voice contact," he said.
Bureau Report