larkhill Rubber Co fire

larkhill Rubber co fire

Rubber soling factory destroyed by fire

 

The Larkhill Rubber Company's Larkhill soling factory was built in 1961 off Larkhill Road on the north side of Yeovil, just on the outskirts. It was owned by Clarks, the largest shoe makers in Europe. The Larkhill factory produced rubber and PVC soling for Clarks' footwear. Larkhill also sold soling in the UK and exported to the Middle East, South Africa, Australia and the Far East. The company employed around 140 people, all of whom lived within 15 miles of Yeovil.

The 'rubber' was mixed in a machine called a 'Banbury' and a batch of materials weighing 230kg was mixed every 5 minutes. This mixed compound was then 'sheeted off' and subjected to a further moulding process, using pressure and heat to squeeze the compound into shape and vulcanize it, producing a material with rubber-like qualities suitable for the soles of shoes.

In August 1970 children playing in a 'den' made out of wooden pallets in the grounds of the factory, set fire to the wooden pallets and drums of chemicals. The fire quickly spread and got out of control. Such fires involving rubber or plastics are frequently fast-burning events and are notably difficult to extinguish. One of the chief concerns with the Larkhill fire was that it produced much smoke, as seen in the photograph below, and the fear was that the smoke would carry toxic chemicals from the breakdown of rubber compounds while burning. There were no injuries.

 

Yeovilians remember...

With many thanks to Mark Le Lohe -

"I remember this especially as I had been cycling nearby and was watching as the Yeovil fire brigade arrived. They soon had 2 trailer pumps set up on the North side sucking water from the pond there. I volunteered to carry petrol cans from the engines to the pumps and did so until the pond was dry. The Yeovil crew chief was on the radio immediately after his crews were in action asking for other engines. They arrived over a space of 30 to 60 minutes from Martock, Chard, Ilminster, Somerton, Crewkerne and Glastonbury and I think also Ilchester, Sherborne and Henstridge. 2 more trailer pumps were pumping water from the pond and at that stage it was almost too hot to pass the fire to take fuel to them. The main fire was adjacent to the carpark where pallets of bagged rubber powder and rubber sheets were being stored. The fire was being blown towards the factory buildings. Between the fire and the buildings was a 4,000 Gal oil tank. Apart from controlling the fire, 2 big priorities that I can remember from orders being shouted and from the actions being taken was to keep the huge fuel tank cool and to prevent the fire from reaching the factory which were being played on by hoses from the pond. It was soon obvious that the fire was growing out of control and 2 huge 6 wheeler aircraft fire tenders arrived from Yeovilton and pumped foam on the fire. This made a huge difference and although it looked like they would get the fire under control they soon ran out of foam. More foam concentrate was on its way from Yeovilton. By this time the pond was getting empty, the asbestos cladding on the East end and sides of the building were exploding in the heat and the fuel tank had started to vent vapour which sent up a blowlamp like flame. I remember the firemen saying that there wasn't enough water available from the hydrants. Ultimately, the foam concentrate was being emptied into the Yeovilton crash tenders neat without being diluted with water. Even mud and frogs were being sucked from the pond at the end. But the fire was controlled the buildings were saved and the fuel tank stayed intact, but when it finally cooled, it collapsed just like a school science experiment. I must have taken about 50 gallons of fuel to the trailer pumps all told. I was 15 years old then.."

 

 

gallery

 

The original architect's perspective of the new factory's first phase, drawn in 1957.

 

... and a perspective of the the second phase, also dated 1957.

 

A colourised photograph of the 1970 fire at the Larkhill soling factory, caused by children playing with matches.

 


Courtesy of Jack Sweet. This photograph features in my book 'Now That's What I Call Yeovil'.

Larkhill Road is closed off by police at Thorne Lane as people stop to watch the spectacle.

 


Courtesy of Richard Franklin

Local residents of Larkhill Road gather to watch the conflagration.

 


Courtesy of Richard Franklin

 


Courtesy of Richard Franklin