Premier Foods workers hospitalised after explosion

More than 20 firefighters from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) rushed to the scene, after the blast in one of the gas ovens in the main bakery.

The Scottish Ambulance Service treated four male casualties. One casualty suffered head injuries, one an arm injury and two were treated for shock. Both the workers taken to hospital were later discharged.

Part of the bakery wall appeared to have been blown out.

An SFRS spokesperson said: “Appliances from Calton, Cowcaddens and Polmadie community fire stations were immediately mobilised and crews were on scene inside three minutes.​

Four injured men​

“There was no immediate sign of fire but our personnel worked to make the scene safe and assist ambulance staff providing treatment to four injured men.”​

Firefighters worked with a site engineer to ensure gas and electricity supplies were isolated and all products that could potentially ignite had been removed from the ovens.

A company statement pointed out: “Premier Foods can confirm that one of its gas ovens at its Bakery in Duke Street, Glasgow exploded around 8.45pm on Monday June 24. Regrettably, two employees were injured by the explosion, treated at the scene and taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. They were later discharged.”​

Safety clearance​

Workers returned to work in the early hours of the morning following safety clearance from the SFRS.

Premier Foods said: “As a result of this incident, there will be some minor disruption to our customers, although most orders will continue to be serviced from our other bakeries.”​

The statement added: “Explosions of this nature are extremely rare. The exact cause of the explosion is currently being investigated and we are cooperating fully with the authorities to determine exactly what happened.”​

Premier Foods’ British Bakeries site in Glasgow manufactures bread and morning goods products. 

Products made at the site are Mothers Pride – plain bread, Hovis Farmhouse products, Hovis classic and Hovis wholemeal. Up to 70,000t of bread is produced each year.

The site supplies all the major multiples, including: Tesco, Asda, Somerfield, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury and the Co-op in addition to cash and carries and local newsagents.