Water cooler fire causes major disruption at UK Border Agency Office
Firefighters from Croydon were called to a fire at the UK Border Agency building, Lunar House on 19th January.
Firefighters found that the fire was coming from a water cooler. One firefighter said: “The water cooler had ignited, it may have been left on or dried out. There was not much damage done and the fire was extinguished quickly.”
The UK Border Agency confirmed that the public enquiry office was unable to deal with applications due to the fire.
A statement from The UK Border Agency said: “There has been a fire at Croydon public enquiry office which has impacted their ability to accept payments. This means that the public enquiry office is unable to deal with any customers who have who have booked the premium appointment service for today (January 20, 2012). All customers affected are advised to re-book their appointments. Postal application customers are unaffected and this service will continue as normal.”
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 states that you:
‘must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to which relevant persons are exposed’
This means that all companies as a first point in their Fire Safety must complete a Fire Risk Assessment. This must be carried out by a competent person, who is trained to perform risk assessments.
Man arrested after driving fuel tanker into house
The driver of a fuel tanker that was driven into a house has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.
Police launched a hunt for the 51 year old from Somerset after he left the scene of the accident.
It is reported that the driver knew the woman living in the house. The woman was not injured in the incident but the house suffered “significant” damage.
A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: “A 51-year-old Yeovil man has been arrested in on suspicion of attempted murder and is helping police with their inquiries. The arrested man is believed to be known to the occupant of the house.” Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.
30 firefighters attended the fire which started when the tanker hit the property.
The tanker crashed into the front of the house destroying the front wall and windows. The fire destroyed much of the inside of the house.
A spokesperson for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: “A fuel tanker has gone into the front of a bungalow in Wool. A fire then ensued at the address. We were called at 8.43am by Dorset Police and attended with six appliances, approximately 30 firefighters and the incident support unit from Poole fire station. Crews used six sets of breathing apparatus and two hose reel jets to extinguish the fire.”
The investigation continues.
Police investigate Kent farm fire
Over 50 firefighters attended a huge fire in Kent on 11th January.
At its worst, 10 fire crews battled the fire which broke out in farm buildings near Staplehurst in Kent.
Local residents were asked to stay inside and keep all windows and doors shut as a huge plume of smoke spread across the area.
A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that there were no casualties reported in the incident.
David Friday, from Fridays Limited, said that the business had been in the family for 50 years. In an interview with BBC News, he said: “A fire broke out at our Knoxbridge site near Cranbrook, Kent. Two hen houses were affected during the fire, one empty and one stocked. The Kent Fire and Rescue Services successfully controlled the fire around midday. All staff are accounted for and no injuries have been reported.”
28 year old man died in suspicious Bradford house fire
An investigation is now underway to determine how a fire which killed a young man in his Bradford home was started.
The victim was named as 28-year-old Amjad Hussain.
His uncle, Mohammed Shafiq, said: “A neighbour rang Saima at the school where she works and said her house was on fire. She ran all the way down but the firemen would not let her anywhere near. The neighbours told us when the firemen brought him out they would not even let the paramedics near him. They could only see his hands and they had all marks on them.”
The couple had lived at the house for about four years and have a young son.
Mr Shafiq added: “Saima is with her mother right now. She can’t get her head around what’s happened. The boy keeps asking for his daddy. She has been to the police station to talk to officers but none of us know what’s happened. They have told us it’s not just a fire death. There is more to it. They said there are circumstances they want to look at but we don’t know what they are. We have not been allowed back in the house and we have not been allowed to see him.”
Huge chemical spill at paint factory
45 firefighters and eight appliances from Stowmarket, Elmswell, Bury St Edmunds, Ixworth and Ipswich attended an incident at PPG Industries UK paint factory when thousands of litres of flammable solvent leaked from a reactor vessel.
Mark Sanderson from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews have been on site since 2pm and have laid a blanket of foam over a quantity of spilled solvent. This escaped from a reactor vessel. Crews have covered an area approximately half the size of a football pitch with foam, which is designed …to prevent flammable vapours from being released. The leak has been stopped and ignition sources in the area have been isolated.”
Ian Bowell from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service added: “This incident has been contained on site thanks to the work of the on-site staff at PPG and Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service. During the incident we have worked closely with the Environment Agency and are pleased to say that all internal drainage systems have done their job containing any contaminated water on site for removal at a later date. Once again we would like to thank all involved for their co-operation during this prolonged and at times complex incident.”