12 dogs die in barn after electric heater causes fire
Eight puppies and four adult Alsatians have died in a fire which broke out in a barn in Rochdale.
Greater Manchester Fire Service attended the fire which started when an electric heater was knocked over at around 2.30am on 22nd November but sadly were unable to rescue the dogs.
Neil Fox from the fire service said: “They were breeding them in the barn and they were all young dogs so it was a real shame. They had a portable infrared heater keeping them warm and it looks like that was the cause. Electric heaters can be a fire hazard so never leave them unattended or stand them where they could be knocked over. Make sure heaters are always guarded.”
Londonderry hospital reopens after two fires in two weeks
A hospital in Londonderry which has been partly closed due to two fires breaking out within two weeks has been deemed safe to use again by the health minister Edwin Poots.
Seven wards at Altnagelvin Hospital were evacuated last week after a fire started on the roof of the building.
Mr Poots said: “I wouldn’t want people to become frightened or afraid of actually using the facility. An investigation is being carried out, and I wouldn’t want to prejudge it, but the fire service are following a particular lead and I would be fairly confident that it will be proved that it was not the fabric of the building that was the problem. This building isn’t sitting with faulty wiring which is causing fires in it – that isn’t the case.”
SDLP representative, Pat Ramsey had voiced his concerns as to the safety of the building and demanded an inspection of the building. Mr Ramsey said: “It is imperative, absolutely essential, that the department of health or other bodies who have a jurisdiction in this – health and safety – carry out an inspection of the tower block as it is commonly known.”
Geraldine Hillick, the hospital’s director of acute services said: “If we deemed the area unsafe for patients we wouldn’t have been using it, so from our point of view the wards were safe for the patients to be cared for in.”
Barry McDowell from the Fire service said the cause of the fire was under investigation but arson is not suspected at this time. It is likely that the fire started accidentally in a plant room on the roof.
Mr McDowell said: “We believe a water pipe melted, and a lot of water then started coming down through the hospital.”
Around 120 patients had to be moved from the affected wards on Friday night but the trust has said that five out of the seven wards evacuated are now operating normally.
14 die in German workshop fire
Fourteen people have been killed after a huge blaze broke out at a workshop for disabled people in south-western Germany.
The fire occurred at the centre run by the Caritas charity in the town of Titisee-Neustadt.
It is not yet known what caused the fire but local media has reported that there may have been an explosion at the workshop.
Mayor of Titisee-Neustadt said: “It is devastating – we now have to find out how it happened”
Alexander Widmaier from the local fire department said that crews were at the scene within six minutes but on arrival the building was already in flames and filled with smoke.
A spokesman for the local police force said: “We can tell you that we have 14 dead. The process of identification is on-going,” and that it would “take days” to establish what caused the fire.
Eight others were injured in the fire but all are in a stable condition.
100 firefighters tackle huge fire at Midlands distillery
Over 100 firefighters have been tackling a huge fire at the Alcohols Ltd distillery in Langley Green.
The fire broke out at around 10.00am on 27th November. Nearby homes have been evacuated due to thick smoke and the risk of explosions and one man has been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham suffering from burns.
West Midlands Fire Service confirmed that fire crews from across the West Midlands would remain at the scene overnight. The fire has destroyed most of the 3 storey building.
Sandwell Council confirmed that it was using Moat Farm Junior School as a refuge for the people who had been forced to evacuate their homes.
Eye witness, Kerry Hawkins, said: “I heard the explosions and saw thick black smoke in the air and the next thing we know we had police officers knocking on our door. We’ve been out since about half past nine this morning and don’t know when we’re going to be allowed back.”
Chief Inspector Ian Marsh said: “People are starting to return from work and school and we need anyone trying to either head home, or pass through the affected area, to be aware that they need to make alternative plans.”
A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said a man in his 20s had been treated at the scene for burns to his back and a hand before being taken to the specialist burns unit at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Another witness, Tony Kirkham, said: “We saw a Land Rover parked opposite the factory go up in flames, there was nothing we could do to stop it. You could also see the window frames melting in people’s houses. It was scary.”
The Environment Agency also attended the incident to check on the environmental impact of the fire.
Man dies in Brighton house fire
A man has died after a fire tore through a disused building in Brighton.
Around 40 firefighters attended the incident at a building in Upper Bedford Street in Kemp Town at around 3.45am on 28th November.
A spokesperson confirmed that a 48 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of arson.
A spokesperson for East Sussex Fire and Rescue said: “We’re working with police to investigate. Some crew still remain at the scene.”
It is not yet known how the fire was started.