Fire at Swansea factory expected to burn for weeks
A fire at a factory in Swansea which started on 16th June could take weeks to extinguish.
The fire broke out at the former Mettoys factory in Fforestfach. The site is used to store shredded tyres. It is thought that over 8000 tons of tyre waste is alight.
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said that there have been at least 2 fire crews at the scene since it started.
Chris Margetts from the fire service, told BBC Radio Wales: “This is an extremely complex incident. We’ve had to order specialist equipment from all round the UK in order for us to contain the hazardous material. It needs to be put into sealed containers and taken to a dedicated licensed waste disposal site of which there is only a handful in the country. We’ve knocked the fire right back to a big smouldering mass and we are containing that as it is. We realise it is emitting a smoke plume that is causing a nuisance to the neighbours. The problem is if we apply water to the surface it creates a water proof crust and the material carries on burning underneath.”
The cost of disposing of the waste is expected to cost around £800,000.
Fire at electric transport shop caused by electrical fault
A fire at the Electric Transport shop in Cambridge is thought to have been caused by an electrical fault.
The fire at the shop in Hope Street Yard broke out on Tuesday evening and was attended by 3 fire crews from Cambridge and Sawston. Thermal imaging equipment was used to check for hotspots.
Eddie Kehoe who is one of the owners of the company said: “It was fairly small but it was just the door so luckily it attracted attention. It was just smoke and heat mainly.”
No one was injured in the fire and the incident is not being treated as suspicious.
Hospital A&E closed after fire
A fire which closed the emergency department of a Derbyshire hospital was caused by a fault in a drinks’ fridge, fire investigators have said.
The fire which broke out in the emergency department of a Derbyshire hospital on Saturday night is thought to have been caused by a fault in a fridge in the hospital newsagents.
The emergency department in the Chesterfield Royal Hospital was closed and patients were taken to nearby hospitals in Sheffield, Derby, and Nottingham.
The incident was attended by 10 engines and it took 60 firefighters until after midnight to put out the fire.
Although the hospital is open again, the Accident and Emergency departments and fracture clinic suffered serious smoke and fire damage.
Eric Morton from the hospital said: “We are facing long-term disruption particularly in the main entrance, where thousands of patients book in for their appointments each day. We will try to ensure services run as smoothly as possible, we realise there will be some inconvenience.”
Man rescued from fire after being woken by smoke alarm
Firefighters rescued a man trapped in his home after a battery charger started a fire in his living room.
Roger Wearden 48, was woken by his smoke alarm at his flat in Royal Drive, Fulwood, Preston.
When Mr Wearden opened his bedroom door, he saw thick smoke pouring from the living room and was forced to go back into the bedroom and immediately called the emergency services.
Mr Wearden said: “The beeping from the smoke alarm woke me up. When I opened the door, the hallway was full of smoke, so I had to go back in the bedroom. The front room and the kitchen have been gutted. I’d tell everyone to check their smoke alarm. A fire can happen so easily. It could have been worse.”
A spokesperson from the Fire Service said: “The gentleman had a very lucky escape. When he opened the bedroom door, he was faced with thick, black smoke and could not get out. It shows how important it is to have a working smoke alarm.”
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.