Taxi Driver Online

According to other reports vehicles were destroyed as well as the taxi office, but no word of that here.

No reports on exact cause, but guessing it's just an accident rather than anything more sinister

Video and lots of photos on website, but in truth they don't add particularly much to the stuff below.


'Within 10 minutes it was gone’ – Fife workers tell of fleeing ‘inferno’ after blasts shake homes

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/lo ... ake-homes/


Image: Louise Chapman/DC Thomson

Workers at a Fife taxi firm fled an explosion described as “an inferno” and “a nightmare”.

Blasts could be heard coming from Woodend Industrial Estate in Cowdenbeath from 8am this morning, causing the windows of nearby homes to rattle.

The explosions and subsequent intense fire devastated the premises of Cowdenbeath Taxis, also known as Wullie’s Taxis.

Linda Russell, office manager at the taxi firm, described how the severity of the blaze blew the roof off the building.

She said: “It was just a nightmare, just an inferno.

“It just went up in flames, the whole lot. Canisters were bursting and banging and popping.”

Linda, 59, was in the building with another two workers at the time of the incident and all managed to escape without being injured.

She revealed that employees of Williamson Haulage, also based at the industrial estate, helped by moving cars away from the flames.

And she said her first thought was for business owner William MacDonald.

“It’s a bloody shame,” she said

“That’s been his business for 30 odd years and that’s it gone. The whole lot’s gone.”


Image: Steven Brown/DC Thomson

Residents living nearby reported hearing a loud bang at around 8am followed by further smaller blasts.

Fire crews have rushed to the scene but no one from the fire service was prepared to give The Courier a comment when we called at 8.45am.

A police statement said: “We have a presence on the site to keep the public away from the scene.”

Lorna Park posted on Facebook page Fife Jammer Locations: “It’s from Woodend industrial estate I live at the back of it and the whole house shook there is still explosions going off.”

Kerry Black posted: “I live up the top end of Cowdenbeath (nearest to Kelty) and have heard sirens galore. I hope folk are safe!”


Image: Martin Glass/Twitter

I assume there was a garage unit and office which might explain the gas canisters

tragic but if it was an accident it should have been entirely preventable

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‘Rising from the ashes’: Fife taxi firm stays open after premises engulfed by inferno

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/lo ... y-inferno/


Image: DC Thomson

A Fife taxi firm has pledged it is business as usual, despite its base being ravaged by an explosive inferno.

The premises of Cowdenbeath Taxi Service, also known as Wullie’s Taxis, were gutted after a blaze broke out at its garage, creating huge plumes of black smoke and explosions which rattled windows at around 8am yesterday.

All three people who were in the building at Woodend Industrial Estate escaped unhurt from the fire, which was so severe it blew the roof of the building off.

And, thanks to employees of neighbouring businesses who helped to move the firm’s fleet away from the flames, the service is still on the road.

Linda Russell, office manager at the taxi firm, said she had to dodge exploding gas canisters as she fled.

“It was just a nightmare, just an inferno,” she said.

“There were flames everywhere, black smoke everywhere. There are obviously tyres and that there as well.

“I’ve never seen flames like that before. It was quite scary.

“Then you had to watch that nothing popped out, blew out or anything.

“The biggest explosion was when the roof sort of came off. It just went flying.

“It just went up in flames, the whole lot. Canisters were bursting and banging and popping.”

Linda, 59, was in the building with another two workers at the time of the incident and all managed to escape without being injured.

She praised employees of Williamson Haulage, also based at the industrial estate, who were among those who helped move cars away from the flames.

Her first thought was for business owner William MacDonald.

“It’s a bloody shame,” she said.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service sent seven appliances to the scene after the alarm was raised at 7.59am.

Just hours after the fire, Cowdenbeath Taxi Service confirmed it was still operating, with customers able to contact the firm on the same phone number.

In a post on social media, the company said: “As most will know we have had a fire in our yard this morning. All our staff are OK and safe. We are still out working from a remote location and will continue to offer the same service as much as possible.”

Andrew Letham, 30, who works at the industrial estate, rushed to the garage to check nobody had been hurt and helped move taxis.

He said: “There were explosions going off. There were gas tanks for welding and stuff in the actual garage.

“There was quite heavy black smoke everywhere, probably from the rubber tyres and stuff.

“It was quite dramatic.”

Local resident David Gay, 56, added: “I heard a bang and the windows rattled.

“There was one bigger bang then quite a few smaller bangs.”

The cause of the fire is understood to still be under investigation.

Ahhh..............C2H2 dangerous stuff

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