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One dead after U.K. power plant collapses west of London

Click to play video: '‘Major incident’ declared after collapse at U.K. power plant'
‘Major incident’ declared after collapse at U.K. power plant
WATCH ABOVE: Aerial fgootage shows the damage caused in a 'major incident' at a power plant in England – Feb 23, 2016

LONDON (AP) — An unused power station in southern England partially collapsed Tuesday, killing one person and injuring five others, British emergency services said.

Describing the collapse as a “major incident,” Oxfordshire fire services said search operations at the Didcot plant 60 miles (100 kilometers) west of London were ongoing and three people were still reported missing.

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It was not immediately clear what caused the collapse or who the dead and injured were. Photographs of the plant showed that part of a building appeared to have collapsed. Witnesses told British media they heard a loud explosion.

South Central Ambulance sent six ambulances, two air ambulances and a hazardous response team to the site Tuesday afternoon.

The incident occurred at an old coal- and oil-fueled plant that has been closed since 2013 and is slated for demolition. The Didcot facility also houses an operating gas-powered plant.

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The fire services said although dust from the collapse covered a large area, there were no hazardous materials found within the building.

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