Car park fire sparks call for sprinkler systems to be legal requirement
A fire in an underground car park in the Dutch City of Haarlem broke out causing serious structural damage to the building and destroying 26 vehicles. Neighbouring buildings were evacuated as the fire and smoke spread.
The fire service tackled the blaze, eventually taking control of the flames by flooding the lower deck of the car park.
Members of the Dutch parliament are currently calling for a change in the law which would mean that car parks and other public buildings would be required to fit sprinkler systems.
Bonfire Night firefighter strike called off
The Bonfire Night firefighter strike was called off after it was revealed that the Health and Safety Executive is investigating the private firefighting contractors from AssetCo. The investigation comes after a complaint which alleges that staff have not been trained properly and is putting its employees at risk.
The strike was planned to coincide with one of the busiest weekends and would run for 47 hours.
Chairman of London’s fire authority, Brian Coleman believes this to be a sensible move and said “These strikes have always been unjustified, unnecessary and utterly avoidable.” Matt Wrack from LFBU said that the firefighters do not want to take strike action but have no choice.
Both sides will meet on November 16th in attempt to resolve the issue.
Man critical in hospital after house fire
A 74 year old man is in a critical condition after a fire broke out in his home. The elderly man was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital for immediate treatment and was later transferred to Newcastle Royal Infirmary.
The property’s monitoring company was alerted by the smoke alarm being activated, and they immediately contacted the emergency services enabling firefighters to get to the fire quickly.
The blaze broke out at the property in North Haven, Seaham on 4th November 2010 and was attended by Seaham Fire Station who managed to extinguish the blaze. Unfortunately, crew recovered the body of a dog belonging to the occupant.
It is not known what started the blaze but an investigation is being carried out to determine the cause.
Seaham Fire Station said “We would like to advise residents to please ensure all properties have working smoke alarms and they are tested weekly. We’re appealing to all residents to consider the safety of both themselves and their family and friends, particularly when they are living alone.”
Faulty electric blanket causes serious house fire
An elderly woman was rescued from a fire at her home in Tankerton after a blaze thought to be caused by a faulty electric blanket broke out on 4th November 2010. The fire damaged most of the property and totally destroyed the bedroom.
The 86 year old was trapped in her property by the smoke and was rescued by fire fighters from Whitstable and Herne Bay at around 9am. The lady was immediately given oxygen therapy before being transferred to a local hospital.
Dick Judge, Whitstable Watch Manager said that the lady decided to stay in her home after discovering the fire and stresses that if anyone discovers a fire they need to get out of the property quickly and alert the emergency services immediately. He also stressed the importance of having working smoke alarms on each floor and that these are tested regularly to ensure they are working.
Timely fire safety warning for homeowners with chimneys
As we are nearing the end of October and temperatures are starting to fall, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service has issued a warning to those beginning to use their fires again, to ensure they get their chimneys cleaned professionally.
This advice has come following a number of fires where the owners of the home had neglected to get the chimney swept for winter or where logs were piled up alongside woodburners.
A spokesman for the fire service said:
“We have been called to a number of fires in the South Devon area recently which could have been prevented by the owners making sure their chimneys were cleaned before the start of the colder weather.
“There has also been a fire in which the owners had piled logs next to the wood burner and through convection and radiation the logs heated up and caught fire.
“Often people think this is a good way of drying out logs, but it can very dangerous.”
The fire service also offered some advice to those with chimneys explaining how professional cleaning is the only way to be sure they are fully clear of debris. They also explained how logs should be stored well away from a woodburner and that those with old houses should look out for exposed beams near the chimney area.