Four missing people escape from disused Wiltshire mine after fire, nine-hour search ends

Four people who were seen entering a disused mine near Elm Cross Yard in Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire, were unaccounted for when a fire broke out at the site on Wednesday evening. Fire authorities launched a nine-hour search after smoke was reported billowing from the quarry at about 5:30 p.m., prompting fears that the group could have been trapped inside. By early Thursday, police said they now believe the individuals managed to escape and that no injuries were reported.

Six fire crews from Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Melksham, Corsham and Westbury attended the blaze, and Frome Road was closed as crews fought the flames and conducted a search of the underground complex. The area around Elm Cross Yard has a history of illicit activity in the past; Wiltshire Police recovered about £1 million worth of cannabis at the site in 2018, underscoring the mine’s long-running safety concerns.

Inside the mine, six breathing apparatus wearers entered alongside Mansfield Mine Rescue, HM Inspectorate of Mines and police gas monitors, with thermal imaging cameras and other specialist equipment used to probe the tunnels as the smoke-filled cavern was mapped. The national mines rescue team coordinated the operation, which included a public safety alert as crews searched every accessible tunnel. The search ended just before 4:30 a.m. on Thursday.

Chief Inspector Ben Huggins of Wiltshire Police stressed the dangers of underground sites, saying the unstable structures, poor air quality and hidden hazards can pose life-threatening risks. 'Whilst this may seem an interesting place to explore, the reality is underground locations contain a number of hazards, dangers and difficulties presenting a potential risk to individual safety,' he said. He also noted that significant resources were mobilised out of concern for the four people’s safety.

While investigators have not established a cause for the fire, police continue to track down the four people seen in the area prior to the blaze. The former quarry covers about 10 acres (roughly 40,000 square metres) and dates from a history of wartime equipment storage to a mushroom farm; it remains a dangerous site for any unauthorized entry. Local authorities reiterated a warning against entering underground spaces without proper safety permissions.