Fatality in Scottish factory fire
A 37 year old man has died in a fire at the Wicken Fen Food factory in the Scottish Borders.
The alarm was raised at around 11pm on Sunday and 60 firefighters attended the blaze.
A spokesperson for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: “It was a single storey building. One part was a carpet factory and the second part was a food factory. The fire was in the food processing part of the factory.”
A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “Tragically, this fire has resulted in a fatality and we are now investigating along with Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue to establish the events that led to a man’s death. Anyone with information that can assist with the investigation is asked to contact police immediately.”
An investigation into the cause of the fire is being carried out.
Kitchen fire started by chip pan
Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were called to a house in Adam Street in Kidderminster last Friday evening following a kitchen fire.
Engines from Kidderminster and Stourport attended the blaze. Crews used a covering jet and positive pressure ventilation equipment to clear smoke from the house and managed to extinguish the fire within an hour.
Neil Bennett, from the fire service said: “This fire involved a chip pan which had been left unattended and the occupants of the house were only alerted by the smell of smoke once the fire had taken hold. While they were able to escape from the house, unharmed, there was considerable damage to the kitchen as a result of the fire, and extensive smoke logging throughout the rest of the house as doors had been left open.”
He warned anyone cooking with hot fat to be vigilant and never to leave their cooking unattended.
Before leaving the property, firefighters installed smoke alarms and also visited neighbouring addresses to check that they have working smoke alarms in their homes.
Fire Training Academy recommends that smoke alarms are fitted on all floors of your home and that you get into the habit of testing them regularly. Look out for out ‘Test it Tuesday’ reminders on Twitter and Facebook.
Woodland destroyed in forest fire
A huge fire broke out at Hartlebury Common on 25th May damaging about 2000 square metres of woodland.
Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service were alerted at about 5.50pm after receiving over 50 calls from the public.
The incident was tackled by 2 fire engines from Kidderminster and additional fire engines from Stourport, Droitwich, Worcester and Bromsgrove later joined the scene.
Chris George-Burnell from the fire service said: “With the gusty wind conditions and flames up to 35 metres high at times, crews had to work really hard to surround this fire and bring it under control.”
The cause of the fire is not known. SC George-Burnell urged members of the public to ensure that in periods of dry weather they be extra vigilant and to ensure that cigarettes and matches are disposed of properly.
Fire at Selkirk dye factory
A fire broke out last week at a Selkirk dye factory.
50 firefighters from Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service attended the blaze. 8 pumps and one high rise appliance were used to get the fire under control.
A spokesperson for the Fire Service said: “The fire is now under control although there will be hot spots in the building and crews are expected to be at the scene for several hours. A number of mixed chemicals for dyeing were involved in the fire and as a result, we sought advice from scientific advisors about how best to manage those issues.”
There were no injuries reported but nearby homes were advised to keep their windows and doors shut, and to stay inside if possible.
An investigation into the cause of the blaze will be carried out.
Landlord guilty of fire safety breaches
A landlord from Peterborough has been charged with breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 after a fire broke out in September 2010.
The fire started in the Windmill pub below the flats and 6 people had to be rescued by fire crews.
Javid Iqbalm, owner of the flats was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £899 after being found guilty at Peterborough Magistrates Court. The breaches included failing to provide sufficient escape routes and not having escape windows in the property.
Steve Cotton from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Failing to apply for building regulations approval meant that this building was not compliant with fire safety regulations, and that put lives at risk. If the owner ignores these regulations there is a possibility that the building will not be safe.”