THE findings of two inquiries into last week’s fire at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston will be made public.

The fire started in a building in the explosives manufacturing section of the nuclear weapons complex at 9pm last Tuesday.

Fire crews from the base and the Royal Berkshire Rescue Service were called to the fire and put it out by 1.10am on Wednesday.

One male worker suffered minor burns to his arms and his face, and 14 residents in Red Lane, which borders the northern end of the site, were evacuated. Ministry of Defence Police also set up a 600-metre cordon around the affected building.

The site, which makes and maintains warheads for the UK’s nuclear deterrent on behalf of the Ministry of Defence, said there will be a “full” investigation by the Hazardous Installations Directorate – a branch of the Health and Safety Executive. AWE will also carry out its own investigation.

Last Wednesday evening, Robin McGill, chief executive officer at AWE, said: “An investigation has already started, and we will be working closely with the Health and Safety Executive.

“We will make our findings public by briefing the AWE Local Liaison Committee, which is made up of representatives of local authorities in Hampshire and Berkshire.”

However, critics of nuclear weapons questioned whether the findings would be made available through the committee.

Peter Burt, director of the Nuclear Information Service, said: “The committee does not allow members of the public or the press into their meetings, and the minutes are only made public months after the meetings take place. I think AWE needs to go further.”

But AWE spokesman Rachel Whybrow told The Gazette: “We will be making it public through the committee, but we will also make sure our findings are made publicly available through our website or in a statement.”

Jason Green, spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive, confirmed the Government watchdog had begun “preliminary investigations” and that the results of any investigation would be made public, although he could not specify a date.

Meanwhile, Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, MP for Brighton Pavilion, has written to Defence Secretary Liam Fox calling for an independent inquiry into the fire.

In the letter, she said: “I should be grateful if you would advise me as to whether the fire started in one of the hydrodynamics facilities at AWE Aldermaston, or as a result of work on a hydrodynamics experiment.”

Miss Whybrow said the fire did not take place in the hydrodynamics facilities, which uses fluids to test the effects of extreme forces.