Elderly woman dies in Plymouth house fire
The 84 year old woman, named locally as Katherine Sanders was found by firefighters in a first floor bedroom and was pronounced dead at the scene. Her 60 year old son, Peter Stacey is in a critical condition in Derriford Hospital.
Fire station manager Alan Bowers, who worked throughout the night with crews from Greenbank and Crownhill, said: “Flames were coming out of the back of the house by the time we arrived. What is apparent is the fire spread rapidly to 100 per cent of the house. Luckily we don’t have to deal with many incidents like this. It’s an absolute tragedy. This is the most ferocious domestic house fire I’ve seen in my 20-odd years of service.”
Neighbours tried to break into the property but were blown back out by the immense force of the fire.
A neighbour, Janet Coutts said: “They only got four yards in. The fire just blew them all out straight away and they were coughing and choking. The firemen said if they’d tried to do any more they could have lost their lives too.”
It is not yet known what caused the fire but it is believed to have started in the kitchen shortly after Mr Stacey returned home.
UK fire stations to be re-built
Chorley fire station is to be rebuilt as part of Government plans costing £48m.
Another 12 fire stations across the UK are also set to be improved as part of the fire service’s largest ever PPP project.
Builders are expected to start on the new development, off Southport Road, next summer and it is thought that the current depot in Weldbank Lane will be demolished after the move.
Ian Tyler of Balfour Beatty, said: “The upgrade of the stations will help meet the changing needs and support the modern practices of the fire and rescue service and provide a better environment for working, learning and training. We look forward to working with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Authority.”
The new station will also incorporate Southern Area headquarters, a training development department and a base for the Urban Search and Rescue team.
Lancashire’s Chief Fire Officer, Peter Holland, said: “This is a major boost for Lancashire. Our fire prevention work with communities has driven down the incidence of fires to their lowest level ever. In terms of emergency cover, today’s demands on Fire and Rescue Services are more challenging than ever, with a diversity of fire and other risks, volumes of traffic and road networks which were not envisaged when the fire stations in Blackburn, Fleetwood, Burnley and Chorley were built. “I am confident that these new stations will enable us to keep ahead of the pace of change in those areas. They will also ensure that the first-rate standards of fire and rescue cover we provide there continue to be maintained.”
New Dearne Valley fire station to open this week
It has been revealed that Dearne Community Fire Station, a £5.5 million venture to replace two former stations, is to open officially on Friday.
The Manvers Way, Rotherham site was chosen to make up for the losses of stations in Brampton Mexborough.
The new station, which holds four fire engines, allows fire crews swift access to local communities in the area.
Chief fire officer of the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said:
“We are delighted with our new purpose-designed building here in Dearne. The facilities offer an excellent base for the firefighters who provide the community with a first-class emergency response service.
“It not only offers considerable operational benefits and community facilities but its environmental features will greatly increase the sustainability of this important building for decades to come.”
Speaking about the new 3.5 acre station, South Yorkshire Fire Authority chairman, Jim Andrews, said:
“This is a significant development for the people within the Dearne Valley.
“The new station will not only provide first-class facilities for the community, but give the fire service the means to meet our targets in emergency response times for this part of South Yorkshire.
“Providing our firefighters with the most modern facilities will ultimately facilitate a first-class service the public deserve.”
New proposals to Cumbria fire service come under attack
The planned changes put forward by the fire service in Cumbria has been criticised by firefighters in the area as they expect these cuts to affect their ability to respond to flood emergencies.
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has reacted in anger to the proposals which would see reduced numbers of fire crews, and could lead to some rescue vehicles to be rendered unavailable. The Major Rescue Vehicle (MRV) and Aerial Ladder Platforms (ALPs) require a minimum number of firefighters to operate them at the same time.
Mally Hind, the FBU brigade secretary, said:
“This ill thought out proposal is based purely on cost and not on risk.
“It’s not that many weeks ago that new Prime Minister David Cameron said there would be no cuts to front-line services. Yet here we are looking at the loss of eight firefighter posts.
“If this proposal is allowed to go ahead, there will be a detrimental effect on public safety.”
These fears have been disputed by the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service as they insist that they have the resources to cope with the changes.
The chief fire officer of the service, Dominic Harrison, has revealed that any reductions in the number of firefighters would be addressed and that additional resources could be made available when needed.
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