Five dead in suspected bootleg alcohol blast in Britain

Jul 14, 2011, 11:53 GMT

London - British police were Thursday investigating whether the illegal brewing of alcohol could have been behind an explosion at an industrial unit, killing five men and leaving a sixth in critical condition.

'We don't want to speculate about whether this was a distillery or not at this stage, but that is one line of inquiry,' said Keith Owen, a police spokesman in Boston, in the eastern county of Lincolnshire.

Police and the fire brigade were called to the venue late Wednesday, after neighbours said they noticed 'commotion and smoke' coming from the lock-up premises.

Nearby resident Ian Nuthall, 42, said, 'There was a rumour going round that it was some Polish nationals who have been brewing their own vodka which is a bit of a problem around here at the moment.'

Police said Thursday the victims had not yet been identified.

Firefighter Steve Moore described the incident as one of the worst he had seen in his 28-year career.

'It was a really hot, intense fire,' he told the Press Association.

Fierce flames had set alight a car outside the unit and buckled its roller shutters, forcing crews to use hydraulic equipment to cut their way inside.

Earlier this year, raids by customs officials and the police seized goods, including fake vodka, from six stores in the town.

Forensic examination showed that the counterfeit alcohol contained chemicals deemed unsafe for human consumption.