On 21 June 1988, a large fire and explosion engulfed the BDH chemical plant in Poole, Dorset, England.

[5] At about 7:30 pm emergency services were called to a fire at an industrial unit on West Quay Road in Poole.

[7] The fire was discovered in an oxidising storeroom, and it had spread to the adjacent area containing flammable liquids.

Authorities said that luck had kept the injuries minor, as barrels containing cyanide did not explode and the wind blew the toxic smoke offshore.

[13] Member of Parliament for Poole John Ward asked the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment Patrick Nicholls to set up a public inquiry into the incident.

[15] In 1997, BDH closed the West Quay Road plant and half of their local workforce were made redundant.