Newcastle club fire blamed on arsonists
A blaze which tore through a former nightclub near to the quayside in Newcastle is now being treated as an arson attack according to fire investigators who are working with police.
Around 18 firefighters were called to the scene at the derelict Stereo club in Sandgate last Sunday evening at around 5.45pm.
The fire was found to be present at two locations on the empty premises, with furnishings having been set alight on the second storey as well as the ground floor.
As the fire was being brought under control, a number of roads in the area had to be closed for a few hours. This included parts of City Road and Mill Market.
There were no injuries in the blaze, but those investigating the scene have admitted that it was looking like the fire was started deliberately.
A Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said:
“The cause of the fire is believed to be deliberate and police scenes of crime officers are currently investigating”.
The club building, which has been unoccupied for a number of years now, was badly damaged by the severity of the flames, with the roof and second storey totally destroyed.
The investigation is still on-going.
Firefighters tackle toxic situation at farm barn blaze
It has been reported that fire crews attending a barn fire in Tal-y-Bont, near Llanrwst, North Wales, last Sunday morning, had to face the dangers posed by potentially toxic fertilizer and tyres.
Around 50 firefighters were called to the farm just before 3am on the Sunday and were immediately aware that the fire required a specialist unit at the scene.
The barn itself was destroyed in the blaze along with a car and local residents were advised to ensure that their doors and windows were kept closed due to the risks posed by the smoke.
Fire crews also closed a road in the vicinity as they battled to keep the flames under control. It took them over seven hours to extinguish the flames and begin the dampening down process.
A statement released by North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said:
“Appliances from Llanrwst, Conwy, Colwyn Bay and Holyhead along with the Environmental Protection Unit from Holyhead are in attendance at an incident in Tal y Bont, Conwy.
“Crews were called to the incident at 2.42am this morning where a barn is on fire involving quantities of hay, tyres and fertilisers.
“Local residents are being advised to close windows and doors at present and the B5106 between Gwydyr Castle in Llanrwst and Ty’n y Groes is closed.”
A probe has now been launched into what caused the fire.
Investigation begins into Wimblington factory blaze
An inquiry has now been given the go-ahead to start following a fire which badly damaged a plastics factory in Wimblington, Cambridgeshire last Wednesday afternoon.
Firefighters were called to Plasgran in Manea Road just after 3pm and still remained at the scene over 16 hours later as they attempted to extinguish the flames.
A number of roads in the area were closed until around lunchtime on the Thursday, as the fire service worked through the night in order to tackle the fire.
The 75 firefighters on duty, with their eight appliances, managed to prevent the fire from spreading to other properties in the vicinity and by 11pm the situation was described as being under control.
The fire was initially reported by workers who were having a break when they noticed that a unit had been ignited.
The owner of the factory, Carl Waters, attended the scene with his father-in-law, former councillor Pop Jolley, who came to see how much damage had been done to the premises.
Steve Robinson, the incident commander of Cambridgeshire Fire Service, said the building, which was filled with plastic material, was now a total loss and that the cause of the blaze is now under investigation.
Flat fire spreads to restaurant in Crowthorne
A fire which is believed to have started in one of the flats above a restaurant in Crowthorne, Berkshire, last Monday night, managed to spread to the premises below.
The damage to Chillis restaurant in Dukes Ride is said to have been the result of the water used by firefighters tackling the blaze.
Fire crews arrived from Bracknell, Crowthorne and Windsor just after 10.30pm to get the fire under control and when they got to the scene they found flames coming through the roof as well as the windows.
The 25 firefighters stayed until nearly 2am to extinguish the flames but were unable to prevent the fire from devastating the properties concerned.
During the incident, the road outside the restaurant had to be closed, although it did reopen later in the morning.
There were no reports of any injuries following the blaze, despite the home evacuations which were carried out by fire safety personnel.
The cause of the fire is not yet known and an investigation is now underway into how it began.
This particular situation may not have originated from the restaurant itself but if you are an owner of such an establishment it is important for you to consider your fire safety procedures unique to a kitchen and restaurant environment.
Restaurant blaze leads to flat evacuation
Following a fire in a Glasgow restaurant, situated right below their flat, a family with a young child had to be rescued by firefighters.
The evacuation proved to be successful as the fire crews swiftly answered the call and attended the scene at the top floor flat at about 11pm on Tuesday night.
This was a necessary measure after a fire had been started in the Steak and Cherry restaurant in Sauchiehall Street.
It is believed that the blaze may have originated from the kitchen of the premises and 11 fire engines and about 70 firefighters were needed to extinguish the flames.
The rescue operation was carried out by the fire crews using ladders to bring the two men, two women and young child down to safety. They were then taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary as a precautionary measure.
A Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said:
“On arrival the crews were faced with a rapidly developing fire involving the restaurant itself and spreading to occupied residential tenement flats above.
“Due to the construction of these property types, hidden fire spread via enclosed voids and spaces, are notoriously difficult and dangerous for crew to tackle.”
As well as the flat above the restaurant, other premises were also evacuated due to the incident.