News Headlines....November 2009
To go straight to any of November's news click on the links below.
Fire Authority | Woman Rescue | Warehouse Fire | Dual Purpose Vehicle | Flat Blaze Arson | Stourport Flat Fire | Road Traffic Collision | Public House Fire | Helicopter Crash | Bus in Traffic Collision | Woodburner Fire | Weather Increases Calls | Industrial Estate Fire | Redditch YFA | Shire Horse Rescue | Cider Tanker Fuel Leak | Smoke Alarm Saves Woman | School Bus Collision
Fire Authority “Performing Well”
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority is “performing well” and achieving its main priority – to keep people safe from fire. These findings are published today in the Authority’s organisational assessment which forms part of ‘Oneplace’, the Audit Commission’s new process for examining public services, including how well councils are working together with other public bodies to meet the needs of the people they serve.
To read more click here
Woman Rescued from Hereford House Fire
Firefighters rescued a woman from an upstairs bedroom of her home after a severe fire
took hold.
The incident happened at just after 1am this morning (Friday, December 4) at a property
in Lloyd Street, Hereford.
The woman made the 999 call and a fire control operator stayed on the line, giving her vital safety advice until the Firefighters arrived moments later.
On arrival at the property Firefighters from Hereford Fire Station discovered that someone
had already jumped out of a bedroom window but the woman was still inside.
They quickly pitched a ladder to the window and were able to help her out of the window
and to safety.
The fire had started in a ground floor patio and lean-to area and spread to the house.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. There were no smoke alarms fitted in the property but Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service is urging people today to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their homes as they do provide an early warning and save lives.
Fire Crews Tackle Large Warehouse Fire
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Dozens of families were evacuated from their homes last night following a severe fire at a premises in Worcester.
A fire broke out at the Midlands Power Machinery premises on Orchard Street, at 7.10pm. On arrival Firefighters were faced with a developed fire at an industrial building. The first crews on the scene immediately called for more fire engines to assist at the scene.
Firefighters quickly discovered that gas cylinders were inside the building so they immediately set up a 200 metre exclusion zone, which meant many residential properties were evacuated.
Group Manager Mick Cadman said: “If a cylinder is involved in a fire it can be very unpredictable so we evacuated as a precaution. Our Firefighters worked very quickly and were able to locate and remove the cylinder and this reduced the likelihood of explosion.
“The residents were allowed to return to their premises at around 11pm and we would like to thank them for their patience and understanding.”
During the course of the fire some nearby properties lost electricity and gas supplies. The gas supply has been restored and the electricity teams were working through the night to restore power.
At the height of the incident 12 pumps, two water tenders and an aerial appliance were in attendance. The Service’s new Compressed Air Foam appliance was also in attendance and was able to quickly and efficiently smother the fire with foam.
Fire crews have been scaled down but are still on site to ensure the premises is safe and that all ‘hot spots’ have been extinguished.
A fire investigation into the cause of the fire is now underway.
BBC Hereford & Worcester - Worcester News
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Dual Purpose Vehicle to Reach New Heights
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has a new addition to its fleet of fire appliances which is being launched today (Nov 24) at the Emergency Services Show.
The Combined Aerial Rescue Pump (CARP) will be sited at Bromsgrove Fire Station but will be called upon to support Firefighters across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The appliance combines a water tender (standard fire engine) with an aerial facility similar to an aerial ladder platform.
The Service purchased the modern vehicle to provide firefighting crews with immediate access to equipment to help them work safer at height and carry out rescues if necessary.
Assistant Chief Fire officer Jon Hall said: "This new vehicle offers our Firefighters a much safer way of working, and combining it with a standard fire engine means that they have immediate access to a safer way of working”.
"Since our decision to buy the CARP, we have been involved in robust procurement, design and build processes to ensure the vehicle meets our operational needs. Having been through vigorous acceptance testing, we are confident that it will. This is not only good news for our Firefighters but also for our communities as it further enhances the service we are able to deliver."
The aerial platform on the appliance extends 32 metres and can be used to reach down as well as up. Instead of being operated by a person sitting at the back of the appliance, like the current aerial platforms, it is controlled remotely using a set of hand held controls.
A training programme is currently underway for staff who will be operating the new vehicle. The CARP will be on the road in Spring 2010.
Arson probe after flat blaze
On the evening of Wednesday 18 November 2009, Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service received a call to a third floor flat fire in Mitton Close, Stourport.
A number of flats were evacuated and firefighters dealt with a small blaze in the hallway of a property. No one was injured in the blaze and residents were allowed back into their homes at approximately 1am.
Police are investigating this incident as arson.
Witnesses or anyone with information should call officers at Kidderminster CID on 0300 333 3000, quoting incident 0830-S-181109, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Stourport Flat Fire
Firefighters from Stourport and Kidderminster were called to Mitton Close, Stourport, on Wednesday, November 18, at just after 11.30pm.
On arrival the Firefighters found there was a fire in a third floor flat. Four firefighters entered the property wearing Breathing Apparatus. They used one hose reel jet to put the fire out and also used a thermal imaging camera.
Afterwards HWFRS and the police carried out an investigation into the cause of the fire.
Road Traffic Collision on A44, Knightwick
At 2.23pm on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, the Service was called to a road traffic collision involving a van and a lorry. On arrival at the incident on the A44 at Knightwick, Firefighters from Droitwich and Bromyard found that one person was trapped in the van.
They released him from the vehicle and he was taken to hospital by air ambulance.
Public House Fire
At 7:39am on Wednesday, November 18, 2009, the Service was called to reports of a cellar fire at the Kings Fee public house, Commercial Road, Hereford. Three crews from Hereford were sent to the scene. The fire was extinguished and the building ventilated.
Helicopter Crash
At 4.11pm on the evening of Sunday, November 15, 2009, the Service received a call to reports of a helicopter crash at Shobdon Airfield, Shobdon.
The helicopter’s rotors had somehow ‘clipped’ garage doors. Crews from; Stourport, Droitwich, Kingsland, and Leominster were sent to the scene along with an officer.
HWFRS Firefighters worked with the Airfield Fire Brigade to cordon off the scene and make the helicopter safe. Both occupants of the helicopter walked away from the incident.
Road Traffic Collision Involving Bus
At 6:11pm on the evening of Saturday, November 14, Fire Control received a call to the B4084, Stoulton, Worcestershire; “RTC involving bus and car. Persons trapped”.
Crews from Worcester, Droitwich, and Pershore were sent to the scene.
On arrival firefighters sectorised the scene, found that no persons were trapped, and made the vehicles safe. Three people were conveyed to hospital by land ambulance.
Woodburner Fire
At 11.22pm on the evening of Friday, November 13, retained crews from Ross-on-Wye and Whitchurch attended a call to a cottage in Llangrove, Herefordshire, to reports of a woodburner fire. Crews used hand tools to remove contents and extinguished the fire.
Inclement Weather Increases Calls to Fire Control
On the evening of Friday, November 13, 2009 between 6.43pm and 9.21pm Fire Control took 10 weather related calls from across both counties.
Calls included; structural damage, fallen trees and road flooding. On this occasion, none of the incidents turned out to be of a significant nature for the Fire Service.
Fire in Kidderminster Industrial Estate
Eight fire engines from across Worcestershire attended a severe factory fire at an industrial estate in Kidderminster on Saturday (Nov 7) evening.
Crews arrived at Gemini Industrial Estate, in Stourport Road, at just before midnight. The fire was in a building used for plastic packaging storage.
At one point, eight pumps tackled the blaze including crews from Kidderminster, Stourport, Bewdley, Bromsgrove and Droitwich.
Young Firefighters Host Fund-Raiser
A new branch of the Young Firefighters Association (YFA) has opened in Redditch and they will be hosting their first fund-raiser later this month.
The YFA is a uniformed youth organisation which is run on a volunteer basis on behalf of Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. There is currently one other branch based at Droitwich Fire Station.
When young people join the YFA they take part in a 13-week basic training course (two hours per week). On completion of the basic training they take part in a passing out parade, where they show the skills they have learnt to friends, family, local dignitaries and senior fire officers.
Once the young people have completed their training they are able to put all their new found skills together to complete the more complex exercises.
They also attend many events on behalf of Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service and carry out rehearsed drills at public events.
The YFA members also attend an annual camp and take part in other leisure activities such as Kayaking, climbing and many other adventurous activities.
The new YFA will be taking part in their first fund-raiser on Saturday, November 14. They will be hosting a charity car wash at Redditch Fire Station, Birmingham Road, from 10am until 2pm. The funds will be split between the Young Firefighters Association and The Fire Fighters Charity.
George Saved by Red Watch
George, a 21 year old, one tonne Shire horse was rescued by Red Watch, Redditch on Sunday, November 1.
The incident took place in Sillins Lane, Elcocks Brook, Redditch where the Shire horse was unable to right himself. It was feared that the vet would have to put the horse down as he had lay on his left side for too long. However, after nearly two hours and some assistance from the winching strops and the farmer’s vehicle Red Watch managed to turn George onto his right side from where he was able to get himself up a few hours later.
Cider Tanker Leaks Diesel
A car and cider carrying HGV were in collision on Whitecross Road, Hereford on Sunday, November 1.
One appliance from Hereford attended the incident and whilst no persons were trapped the diesel tank of the HGV had ruptured and the crew made efforts to prevent the leak affecting the drains and surrounding environment.
Smoke Alarm Saves Woman from House Fire
The occupier of the property in Hughes Close, Harvington, Evesham, was alerted to the fire by her smoke alarm at 2.45am on Monday, November 2.
The crews from Evesham and Warwickshire used four Breathing Apparatus and three hose reels to bring the fire under control. The fire severely damaged the garage and kitchen of the property, whilst the rest of the property suffered heavy smoke damage. A neighbouring property was also slightly damaged by the radiant heat.
School Children Escape RTC Without Injury
A bus full of school children and a car were in collision on the B4360 in Kingsland, Hereford at 8.42am on Tuesday, November 3.
One person was medically trapped in the car and was released by Fire Service crews from Leominster and Kington. All the children escaped unscathed.