South Yorkshire fire service misses response time target
It was announced earlier this week that South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has never met its own time target for responding to emergencies, according to fire authority figures.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said lives were being put at risk but Assistant Chief Fire Officer John Roberts said they “have to be realistic about what we can achieve” and they would be setting a new target in consultation with the public.
He also commented that “fire does spread quickly, and a lot of the work we do is around prevention to stop the fire from starting in the first place. In terms of getting there as quickly as we can, we will always make that commitment to the public, but with the ongoing financial situation we have to be realistic about what we can achieve now and in the future.”
By 2015 the government will be reducing its funding by about £10m, and the fire authority last month agreed to increase its council tax precept by 1.98% to bring in an extra £400,000 in annual revenue.
Knottingley garage fire destroys a dozen cars
At the beginning of the week at least 12 cars were involved in a fire at a recovery garage in Knottingley.
The fire was reported in the early hours at 1.10am at Highway Recovery Ltd, on the A1 Business Park off Knottingley Road, near the A1.
Fire crews from Pontefract, Castleford, Featherstone, Garforth, Morley and other stations attended. A spokesman for the fire service said: “There were a dozen cars on the outside of the building, all of which were on fire and this spread to the building itself – there were also a number of vehicles inside the building but these were unaffected by the fire.”
Crews remained on the scene that day as the cause was still under investigation.
House fire: Smoke alarm saves five year old child from fire
Early on Saturday morning a 5 year old child was saved from a house fire because the family had a working fire alarm, the emergency services announced.
Fire crews from Newcastle Emlyn, Crymych and Cardigan attended the fire at Capel Iwan to find on arrival, the roof well alight.
A working smoke alarm woke the occupants and ensured their safe removal, including that of the five-year-old girl who was sleeping in the loft. If this alarm had not operated then then Watch Manager Emyr Jones said he was convinced that they would now be dealing with a tragedy.
This really goes to show how vital a working smoke alarm can be in saving lives. If you haven’t got one, please get one today or if you have one make sure you test it and it is working correctly.
Shetland ponies killed in Whitby stable fire
Just a couple of days ago a very sad situation caused two Shetland ponies and a horse to die due to a fire that destroyed their stable.
The incident happened in Hawsker Lane near Whitby on Sunday evening at 8.15pm and North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service were called to the blaze.
A spokesman for the service said crews had found the building well alight and the animals already dead. It is believed that the fire was caused by sparks from a brazier near the building.
Nine rescued from Glasgow tenement fire
In the early hours of Monday morning on the 11th March 2013 9 people were rescued after a fire broke out in a tenement building in the west end of Glasgow.
It started in the Crow Road flats at 2.21am and was “well developed” by the time firefighters arrived.
A total of 20 people were evacuated from the building and were given shelter at Partick Burgh Halls, with 4 people being rescued from the upper floors, and 5 more led to safety. 6 residents were treated for the effects of smoke inhalation.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze is due to get under way. Firefighters remain at the scene and an investigation into the cause of the blaze will begin later.