DOZENS of workers could have lost their jobs as a result of the massive explosion and fire that ripped through a waste plant near York.

Investigations are continuing into the blaze at the BCB Environmental Services in Tockwith, which burned for most of Wednesday.

Management at the company were unavailable for comment yesterday, but it is understood many jobs at the site could now be lost.

The latest available number of employees working for the business was 34 people, in April 2009.

Meanwhile frustrated residents in Tockwith say they continue to worry about the health effects of the fire, having still had no information from the authorities.

They said that as yesterday’s rain fell, a chemical smell like plastic intensified and debris blown from the blaze remained in residents’ gardens.

Selby and Ainsty MP Nigel Adams said the communication with residents had not been good enough. He said: “It’s a major incident that residents of Tockwith and the surrounding areas have been fearing would happen.

“During and post-incident I have been very concerned about the joined up response in terms of the various agencies.”

He said people had received conflicting messages about who was responsible for clearing up the charred debris and said he was told by a senior fire officer it should not be touched.

Harrogate Borough Council’s Environmental Health unit yesterday cleared up debris from the Green children’s play area off Prince Ruperts Drive.

A spokeswoman said Environmental Health had looked at the debris and considered it not to be harmful, but that it had still not received a list of substances that were being held in the building.