Caroline Lucas, Green Party leader and MP for Brighton Pavilion, wrote yesterday to Defence Secretary Liam Fox, a day after a fire on Tuesday night at Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston, in Berkshire.
The fire was severe enough for local roads to be cordoned off, and for residents to be evacuated.
AWE Aldermaston is the facility which designs, produces and maintains components for all British nuclear warheads.
In the letter, Lucas asks how the fire started, and if off-site contingency arrangements were put into operation. Lucas also asks for an independent inquiry into the fire, with the results being made fully available to the public.
The full text of the letter follows below.
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Dear Liam,
re: Fire at AWE Aldermaston, 3 August 2010
I am writing to you about the fire which took place at the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston on the night of 3rd August 2010. I understand that the fire was brought under control by the Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and AWE's own fire crew, and that there were no radiological consequences as a result of the incident. Nevertheless, the matter raises a number of concerns about safety management at AWE and I should be grateful if you would advise me whereabouts on the AWE site the fire commenced, and, in as much as you are able to do so, what the cause of the fire was. In particular, I should be grateful if you would advise as to whether the fire started in one of the hydrodynamics facilities at AWE Aldermaston, or as a result of work on a hydrodynamics experiment.
Please also advise as to whether the AWE Off-Site Contingency Arrangements were put into operation to respond to the incident.
Given public concern about safety standards at AWE, may I request that an independent inquiry is conducted into the fire, and that the results of the inquiry are made fully available to the public.
I also request that operations of the type that led to the fire are halted until the results of the inquiry have been published.
Thank you for your assistance, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Caroline Lucas
Green Party MP for Brighton Pavilion
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Notes
1) A spokesperson for AWE Aldermaston said: "At around 9pm on Tuesday 3 August, a fire broke out in a building within the conventional non-nuclear explosives area of AWE Aldermaston. AWE's fire and rescue service were quickly on the scene and were supported by Royal Berkshire firefighters. One member of AWE staff received minor injuries in the incident and was treated... on the site. As a precautionary measure, a 600 metre cordon was set up around the building and a small number of local residents were evacuated overnight from their homes in the Red Lane area. A full investigation in the causes of the incident, which has no radiological implications, will be undertaken."