Monday 31 December 2012


Elderly woman dies after fire breaks out in two-storey property

Fire: An investigation has been launched into the death.STV

An elderly woman has died after a fire broke out in a home in the Alexandria area of West Dunbartonshire.
The 74-year-old woman, who has not yet been identified, was killed in the blaze at Burns Street in Levenvale on Saturday morning.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue said officers from Balloch and Dumbarton arrived on the scene at 6am and were informed by members of the public that an elderly woman was inside the burning building.
Firefighters entered the two-storey semi-detached property wearing breathing apparatus and soon located the woman.
However, she was pronounced dead by paramedics in attendance.
The fire brigade’s Incident Research and Investigation Section has launched a joint investigation with Strathclyde Police to determine the cause of the fire.
Noting that the death marked the third fire fatality in the Strathclyde area over the Christmas period, the fire brigade urged members of the public to check their smoke alarms.
Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue's Director of Community Safety, said: "In the event of a fire, a smoke alarm will give you and your family vital life-saving minutes to escape safely. Every household in Strathclyde should have at least one working smoke alarm.
"If you, or someone you know - a neighbour, friend, or family member - doesn't have a working smoke alarm, I would urge you to fit one immediately or call Strathclyde Fire and Rescue on 0800 0731 999.
"We will supply and fit long life smoke alarms and a heat alarm free of charge."

Thursday 20 December 2012





Increases evacuation time and reduces property damage in Fire situations

The portable fire knock-down tool from DSPA is proving to be a valuable asset for first responders faced with the task of evacuating people from a building where a fire has broken out.

This nightmare scenario is, thankfully, a rare occurrence, but nevertheless it is a threat that is constantly present. All fire officers working in a hospital, care home or any organisation that has residents onsite fully understands the need to evacuate people from the buildings as soon as possible.

In many fire situations, a hand held fire extinguisher is sufficient to do the job, however this is not always the case. Especially at night, when staffing levels are at the lowest, an outbreak of fire can be disastrous. With the DSPA-5 portable fire knockdown tool, the trained first responder has the opportunity to deploy the device into the fire compartment safely, without having to enter the room. He or she can trigger the DSPA-5 and throw it into the room. It will activate after 8 to 10 seconds, discharging non-toxic and environmentally friendly aerosol towards the fire, knocking down the flames and attacking the combustion process.

Having deployed the DSPA-5 and closed the door to the fire compartment, the first responder can assist with the fire evacuation plan. The DSPA-5 may not fully extinguish the fire, but it will prevent the spread of the fire and provide additional time for the evacuation and arrival of the emergency services.

Chiltern International carried out their independent test of the DSPA-5 and concluded, ‘This (the DSPA-5) could stall fire growth and aid in reducing property damage’*. Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service has used the DSPA-5 in a fire incident. The Station Manager reported; ‘Once the source of origin of the fire had been located, it was clear that the temperature in the compartment was quite intense. We deployed the DSPA-5 and withdrew from the compartment. After around 5 minutes we re-committed to the compartment with a hosereel to find the temperature had reduced quite considerably and the fire itself was almost extinguished. It took only a small amount of water to completely extinguish the fire overall.’*

Following an outbreak of fire, the damage caused by the water used to extinguish the fire can be extreme. Using a DSPA-5 can substantially reduce the amount of water required and, consequently, reduce the water damage.
 For more information contact John or Becci on 01342 310107, email john.maxfield@dspaltd.com or visit our website www.dspaltd.com

Copies of the Chiltern Report and Staffordshire FRS incident reports are available on request.

This article seems to suggest that Care Home Staff would be expected to use this apparatus  What are your thoughts on that? So much depends on fire size and the volume of the ROO (Room of Origin). I will give them a call and ask the questions.

Staff praised for reaction to fire at Scots Care Home

19 December 2012 
.
STAFF AT a Methil care home have been praised for their quick thinking after a fire broke out in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Fifty elderly residents of Forth View Care Home were helped to safety by staff after the alarm was sounded at 4.30am.
Crews from Fife Fire and Rescue Service raced to the home as residents were moved to a safe section of the building.
At one point six fire appliances were at the Sea Road site, with officers using two hose reel jets and thermal imaging equipment to tackle the outbreak.
With the blaze extinguished and all people accounted for, the home operators were quick to thank staff on duty at the time.
Sandra Ross, director of operations at Balhousie Care Group, said: “This was a small fire which appears to have broken out on the first floor.
“The emergency services were called and the priority was, of course, to ensure that all our residents and staff were safe.
“A small number of residents were moved to an area away from the fire but no one had to be evacuated outside and no one was injured.
“The fire was brought under control quickly but it is too early to know what may have caused it.
“The six staff who were on duty dealt with the incident quickly and efficiently and we commend them for their handling of the situation.
“We would also like to thank Fife Fire and Rescue Service for their fast response.”
A steady stream of relatives arrived at the home yesterday morning to ensure loved ones were in good health.
Residents who had been moved from their rooms are said to have returned to their accommodation within 90 minutes of the alarm being raised.
Stewart Read, whose house is opposite Forth View, said he had been impressed by the composure of the people dealing with the fire.
He said: “I got woken up about 4.30 and saw the flashing lights outside. I looked out and I could see that the place was ablaze.
“Two fire engines arrived and they were really getting stuck in. It could have been really bad but they seemed to get everyone shifted.
“They must have been pretty organised.”
Although the source of the blaze has yet to be confirmed, police stated there was no criminal element to the fire.
jowatson@thecourier.co.uk


Jack Wills fashion store in Stonegate fined £27k after breaching fire regulations

A HIGH street clothing chain has been fined £27,000 after breaching fire regulations at its York store.
Fire inspection officers said Jack Wills, in Stonegate, had failed to comply with an enforcement notice despite repeated attempts to ensure the correct fire conditions were applied at the store.
Following a visit to the outlet in January last year, inspectors found damaged fire doors incapable of holding back flames and said staff were unaware of the dangers of leaving combustible materials on staircases and in the shop’s understairs electrical switch room.
The company issued an unreserved apology to North Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service for the unnecessary time and effort officers had to spend dealing with the contraventions and for its failure to comply with safety legislation.
Station manager David Watson said: “Fire safety officers always try to work with businesses and business owners to ensure they are compliant or can achieve compliance with the requirements of the legislation within an acceptable time scale.
“Unfortunately in this case, Jack Wills Limited chose to disregard the items identified within their own fire risk assessments and further advice offered by fire safety officers.

“A company of this standing should have regard for fire safety matters in a more conscientious way. The conviction of Jack Wills Limited shows how seriously the fire authority and the courts view those who put the safety of others at risk in the event of a fire.”
It was said staff working in the store had repeatedly requested authorisation from the Jack Wills head office in London, for maintenance work to be carried out.

Jack Wills Limited pleaded guilty to six contraventions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, when the case came before magistrates in York on Thursday.
The company was fined £27,000 and also ordered to pay £5,619 prosecution costs.
Staff at the York shop declined to comment and no-one was available at the firm’s head office.

Businesses which require a Fire Risk Assessment or Staff FireTraining  or advice should phone 01259 216713. Or go to:   www.fireisk.co.uk

 richard.catton@thepress.co.uk


Tuesday 18 December 2012


Blaze at care home sees 50 residents evacuated

Picture: PA

RESIDENTS of a care home were evacuated after a fire broke out in the early hours of this morning.

A total of fifty elderly people were moved from their rooms, along with six members of staff, after the alarm was raised at Forth View Care Centre on Sea Road, Methil, at 4.30am.
Fife firefighters discovered a blaze in the first-floor dining room. It was extinguished by 6.30am with the assistance of five appliances.
A spokesman for the Fife Fire and Rescue Service said: “We had five appliances in attendance for a fire in a first-floor dining room.
“Staff and residents were evacuated to different wings of the building and kept under ambulance surveillance.
“All persons have been accounted for.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said seven resources were sent to the scene, including ambulances and special response teams, but there had been no casualties.

From The Scotsman.

Remember that a Fire Risk Assessment and an Emergency Fire Action Plan are required by Law. These should be provided by Competent persons. Go To:  http://www.fireisk.co.uk/













Monday 17 December 2012


Girl dies in Shropshire children's home fire

A teenage girl has died in a fire at a children's home.
The fire was in a bedroom at a Bryn Melyn Care home in Bagley Marsh near Ellesmere, Shropshire, late on Saturday. Two adults were unharmed.
Paramedics were unable to revive the girl, whose age has not been released, and she was declared dead at the scene.
Police have been working with fire investigators to determine the cause. Walsall Council said the girl was the responsibility of the authority.
Her death was being treated as unexplained, said police.
Fire crews from Ellesmere, Baschurch and Wem responded.
Bryn Melyn Care said it had provided residential childcare services for troubled young people for more than 27 years and this was the first "tragedy of this nature".
Bryn Melyn Care managing director Steve Nevitt said everyone had been "devastated" to learn of the death of the young person in its care.
In a statement, he said: "Our thoughts go out in particular to her family and friends, as well as the care, education and clinical staff who have worked so closely with her during her time with us.
"We have instigated a full internal review and will be cooperating fully with all the relevant local emergency services and Ofsted to ensure that this terrible event is investigated thoroughly and the cause of the fire established."
From BBC

Monday 10 December 2012




'Intense' fire at house in Hull 'melted' window

Window of burnt house Firefighter Keith Evans said the fire "melted" the window glass.
A man is in hospital after a fire at a house in Hull, which the fire service said was "so intense that it melted the glass of the front room window".
Humberside Fire and Rescue were called to the property on Grove Street at about 14:00 GMT on Saturday.
Some of the occupants had escaped onto the roof through a roof light.
Keith Evans from the fire service said: "We were able to secure those individuals until it was safe to bring them back down through the building."
Mr Evans said an adult male was taken to hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, and three others who suffered smoke inhalation refused treatment.





Woman treated for smoke inhalation after rescue from house fire

 The blaze broke out in Nairn on Sunday evening.Deadline Newswoman is being treated for smoke inhalation after being rescued from a house fire.
She was found within the property in the Highland town of Nairn on Sunday evening. Fire units from Inverness and Nairn attended the blaze in the house at Simpson Street.
The fire broke out at around 5.50pm, before the woman was removed from the property.
Northern Constabulary said the woman is being treated for smoke inhalation at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness.
A police spokesman added that "there is no danger to adjoining properties and the fire is not being treated as suspicious".
 From STV.

Friday 7 December 2012


Homes badly damaged by alcohol distillery blaze





Residents living close to the Alcohols Ltd distillery in the West Midlands, where a major blaze broke out on Monday November 26th, have spoken to the BBC about the damage done to their homes.
The incident occurred on Hall Street in Oldbury shortly before 10am, causing a huge fireball and plumes of thick black smoke to billow up into the air.
Several families were evacuated from their properties while firefighters from across the region battled to extinguish the flames, closing surrounding roads and putting a fire safety cordon in place.
Fortunately there was only one reported injury involving a worker at the factory who suffered burns. He has since been released from hospital.
But properties in the area close to the fire did not escape unscathed, with homeowners reporting melted window frames, twisted guttering and smoke damage.
"We've got cracks in the walls in most of the rooms from the heat of the flames," said local woman Harbhajan Kaur.
"I'd left the bathroom window open, and when I got back in the house there was smoke damage and ash everywhere. It took me two, three days of cleaning."
She also said the fire had damaged her home's smoke alarm as well as several lights.
Local councillor Jayne Wilkinson lives opposite the factory. Her car was declared a write-off after the back of it melted in the heat, while the drainpipes on her property have melted.
Her windows have also had to be boarded up because the frames have been so badly damaged.
Ms Wilkinson said she is now questioning why there were no procedures in place advising residents what to do in the event of a major incident like this one.
"It meant lots of people were left with nothing than what they escaped from their homes with, and the information we needed just wasn't there," she explained.
Ms Wilkinson also claimed that many of the people living near the site do not want to see the factory rebuilt.
"We're nervous enough that the scorched storage tanks will still need draining of their chemicals - none of us want to be around when that happens," she remarked.
The Health and Safety Executive is currently carrying out an investigation into the fire.

From @fireindustry

£10k of stock destroyed in charity shop fire



07 Dec 2012

The owners of a charity shop in Norfolk are mourning the loss of thousands of pounds worth of uninsured stock after a fire broke out on the premises on Thursday December 6th.
According to the Norwich Evening News, the incident occurred at around 10pm in a part of Dereham town centre that had been earmarked for a £1 million redevelopment programme.
Firefighters were called to the Pact animal charity shop on Norwich Street where they worked to prevent the flames from spreading to neighbouring buildings.
By midnight the blaze had been extinguished, but crews remained on the scene because smoke was still emanating from the shop.
A cordon has been placed around the burnt-out building and an investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the fire.
Chris Rockingham, co-founder of Pact, said he believes the second-hand stock inside the shop was valued at as much as £10,000. All of it was uninsured.
"I am devastated," he told the local newspaper. "It's completely ruined.
Shop manager Soraya Parnell said firefighters have been trying to access the back of a neighbouring fast food outlet where it is believed the blaze may have started.
"I helped the fire brigade with questions about any hazards," she remarked. "It seems to have started behind us in the chip shop but they are investigating so will get the cause of it no doubt."
She added: "We are going to be moving into the old Birds sports shop early in the New Year but will be a few months without a shop in Dereham.
"I'm disappointed for all the people who have donated lovely items for us to sell for the animal care only to see it go up in smoke."
Under the The Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be carried out on all commercial properties in Scotland.
Failure to comply with the legislation can lead to an unlimited fine or a prison sentence of up to two years for the Duty Holder.

Scottish fire station destroyed in blaze





A fire station in Scotland may have to be partially demolished and rebuilt after a blaze ripped through the building in the early hours of Monday December 3rd.
Retained firefighters were first to arrive on the scene in North Berwick at 5.20am. They were unable to access the station so requested immediate backup.
Around 40 fire safety officers from East Linton, Haddington, Dunbar, Newcraighill and Tranent were called to the scene and an incident support unit from Marionville was dispatched to help with the effort.
They battled for five hours to extinguish the flames, but unfortunately the building suffered serious damage, as did two fire engines on site.
According to STV, part of the roof of the part-time station collapsed during the blaze, which means demolition and rebuilding work will likely have to be carried out.
No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters did not have to evacuate any nearby homes.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue Service said: "A risk assessment was carried out and because smoke was blowing towards the sea it was deemed safest to leave residents in a nearby housing estate indoors."
Later in the morning police were in attendance to provide assistance to commuters trying to access North Berwick train station, which is situated behind the fire station.
The representative confirmed that plans are in place to make sure there is "adequate" fire cover in the area following the incident.
Meanwhile an investigation has been launched to determine the cause of the blaze.
It is not the first time that a fire station has been affected by a fire. In August a blaze broke out in the drying room of a part-time facility in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.
A spokesperson said at the time: "We want to use this incident to emphasise that fire can happen to anyone at any time and in any building."

From @fireindustry

Atos shock. Disabled Man left Stranded When Fire Alarm Sounds





Atos Under Fire After Disabled Man Geoff Meeghan Left Stranded When Fire Alarm Sounded


A disabled man has described his distress after being left stranded inside an Atos centre when the fire alarm went off.
Geoff Meeghan, 32, suffers from early-onset Parkinsons and was being assessed over whether he was 'fit for work' at a centre in Neasden, north-west London, when the fire alarm sounded.
The doctor he was with rushed out and a security guard whom he asked for help promised assistance which never came.
He was abandoned at the top of the stairs, after being told not to use the lift.
Speaking to the Independent, Mr Meeghan said that even though he can tackle stairs with help, "it was a highly stressful situation and I felt like it was far too risky.
"I was worried that flames might come up the stairs and that I might fall or something. It wasn’t a drill.
"We could see the fire engine arriving outside. I feel like there was a general lack of respect for disabled people at Atos – they make you feel as though you’ve done something wrong by being disabled – like you’re being persecuted.”
From Huffington Post.

That is some Emergency Fire Action Plan. I wonder who is in charge of Fire Safety matters for this "Company?"