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Search under way after Didcot Power Station collapse

Before and after images of Didcot by former power station employee Nigel Brady.

A major search operation is under way to find three people missing after a building at Didcot Power Station collapsed and left one person dead.

The former coal-fired power station was turned off in 2013, after 43 years in service, and demolition work had been taking place.

A full half of the 984ft long turbine hall has collapsed leaving a 30ft high pile of debris, including an estimated 12,000 ton of twisted metal. The building, which is 300m long and 10-storeys high, was due to be demolished in the coming weeks. An Npower spokeswoman said the building had collapsed "while an external demolition contractor was working in it." 

Initial reports suggested an explosion took place at 4pm on 23 February but the company confirmed a partial collapse had led to the whole building coming down. Coleman and Company, the firm behind the demolition, tweeted that it was "working with all stakeholders to establish facts"

A Health and Safety Executive investigation has also been launched.

RWE Npower expects complete deconstruction of the site by the end of this year. A gas-burning power station - known as Didcot B - opened in 1997 on the site and continues to operate.

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