Littleborough mill solvent fire injures two

Firefighters are tackling a blaze involving silos of solvents at a mill in Greater Manchester.

Two men have been taken to hospital following the fire at Stansfield Mill on Calderbrook Road in Littleborough, the North West Ambulance Service said.

A 23-year-old-man with extensive torso injuries has been airlifted to Wythenshawe Hospital.

A 40-year-old-man has sustained facial, leg and hand burns and been taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Residents from the nearby Stansfield estate have been evacuated.

Ten crews are currently tackling the blaze, which broke out about 13:00 BST. The fire service received more than 60 calls reporting the fire.

Rochdale Borough manager Tony Lander said: "We are dealing with a fire involving a range of buildings including a silo. There are bitumen tanks and liquefied petroleum gases and various other chemicals involved.

"The building in total measures about 100m by 100m and there's a thick plume of black smoke going way up into the atmosphere and dissipating over the moors. We have foam jets and water jets in use."