THE Llangennech diesel freight train fire is not thought to have been caused by criminal activity, the British Transport Police (BTP) have said.

Over a hundred residents were evacuated on Wednesday, August 26 after a freight train carrying diesel derailed and caught fire.

People living within an 800m cordon were asked to leave their homes as a precaution, with a rest centre set up by the council at the nearby local primary school.

South Wales Guardian:

Roads around the area were shut for several hours overnight.

British Transport Police led the emergency response to the incident, with Dyfed-Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Natural Resources Wales, Carmarthenshire County Council and other partner agencies working alongside them.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Langley from British Transport Police said: “Thanks to the efforts of our officers and our colleagues from across the emergency services in making the scene safe at Llangennech, we have been able to conduct an initial investigation into this incident.

“Our initial findings are that the derailment is not believed to have been caused by criminal activity.

“We are therefore handing primacy of the scene to the Office of Rail and Road so that it can carry out its own specialist investigation.

“I would like to once again thank our officers for their efforts during this challenging incident, and I am grateful to all of our partners for their help and support in ensuring the safety of the local community.”