Investigation into major fire at Strathclyde University

Investigation into major fire at Strathclyde University
From BBC 7th February 2012

More than 50 firefighters Investigation into major fire at Strathclyde
University
More than 50 firefighters helped tackle the blaze.
An investigation is set to begin later into a major fire at Strathclyde University's campus in central Glasgow.

The blaze was reported on the seventh-floor of the James Weir building on
Montrose Street at 19:16 on Tuesday.
It houses part of the engineering faculty and the presence of hazardous
chemicals complicated the operations.

The fire was extinguished at 23:40 and there were no reports of injuries.
Neighbouring buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
Firefighters are currently carrying out dampening-down operations and salvage
work at the scene.

Investigations into the cause of the blaze are due to begin later.
Deputy assistant chief officer Jim Doyle, of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, was
in command of crews who tackled the blaze.
The blaze in the James Weir building was extinguished at 23: 40

He said: "This was an extremely challenging incident in the centre of
Glasgow, complicated by the building's network of interlinking corridors and the
presence of hazardous chemicals.

"The firefighters' work was exemplary, as they fought through acrid smoke and
intense heat to tackle the blaze and bring it under control as quickly as
possible without a single casualty."
Montrose Street remains closed to traffic between Cathedral Street and George
Street while operations continue.

A statement on the university's Facebook page said: "All classes in the James
Weir Building on Wednesday 8 February have been cancelled. This is due to a fire
which broke out in the building earlier tonight.
"Students will have access to other university facilities as normal and we
will keep you up to date with developments throughout the day."

A 65-year-old woman died following a fire at a house in Newtongrange, Midlothian on Tuesday afternoon (7 February).

A 65-year-old woman died following a fire at a house in Newtongrange, Midlothian on Tuesday afternoon (7 February) From L&B F & RS

Firefighters from Dalkeith and Musselburgh responded to a report of a house alight at Crawlees Cottages on Suttieslea Road shortly after midday. On arrival, they discovered the ground floor of the property well alight.

Twenty firefighters tackled the blaze and rescued a woman from the kitchen area of the two-storey property. She was treated at the scene by firefighters and ambulance crew but was pronounced dead a short time later in hospital.

At the height of the fire six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and using a hose reel and a line of hose extinguished the blaze.
A spokeswoman for Lothian and Borders Fire and Rescue said an investigation into the cause was underway.

Diners forced to flee as fire hits Scottish restaurant

Diners forced to flee as fire hits restaurant From Evening Times Share 6 Feb 2012

AN INVESTIGATION was under way today after fire destroyed a popular restaurant. Fire crews spent four hours battling the “significant” blaze at the restaurant in Troon. The alarm was raised at the Lido cafe and bar on West Portland Street at around 11.30am yesterday.

About 30 firefighters and five engines were in attendance at the height of incident – and crews were still there today to ensure there was no further outbreak of fire. Shocked diners and staff were evacuated from the busy eatery when the fire broke out.It quickly spread and soon the building was engulfed in flames which could be seen shooting from the roof. No one was injured and the fire was brought under control by around 3pm.

It is believed the blaze may have started in the kitchen of the restaurant, but a joint probe between the police and fire service has been launched into the cause. Firefighters could be seen standing on the roof of neighbouring buildings assessing the situation. Crew members entered the building wearing breathing apparatus and managed to prevent the flames from spreading.

An aerial rescue platform (ARP) was used to tackle the rising flames on the roof. A Strathclyde Fire and Rescue spokeswoman said: “We received a call at 11.26am to a fire in West Portland Street, Troon. “The first two engines, which came from Troon, arrived to a significant fire which had already started breaking through the roof of the local cafe/bar. “At the height of the fire there were five appliances in attendance, with more than 30 firefighters.

“They were attacking a very well-developed fire wearing breathing apparatus and using main jets which prevented the fire from spreading and escalating out of control.” Fire crews from Kilmarnock and Ardrossan were at the site today. Drivers faced road diversions after the streets surrounding the blaze-hit restaurant were shut. West Portland Street, Shore Road and Academy Street, were all closed in both directions and remained cordoned off today.

The Lido is one of six restaurants owned by entrepreneur Colin Blair, from Kilwinning, operated under his Buzzworks chain, the others being Scotts in Troon and Largs, Elliots and Dome in Prestwick and the Treehouse in Ayr. rachel.loxton@ heraldandtimes.co.uk

Two comments. Staff training and compatrmentation. Seems to be a lack of both otherwise the Fire should not have spread in the manner it did.

Wedding venue fined £23,000 for fire safety offences

Wedding venue fined for fire safety offences after breaching prohibition notice 03 February 2012
From Info4fire.

A 14th century ‘luxury’ wedding venue has paid more than £23,000 after pleading guilty to nine offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Haslington Hall – a Grade 1 listed building near Crewe used as a wedding venue and offering overnight accommodation for guests – was served with a prohibition notice in 1 October 2009.

The notice was lifted on 30 October 2009 after remedial work was completed, but officers discovered that the venue had been used on the weekend of 24 October, while the notice was still in force.In addition to breaching the prohibition notice, Haslington Hall Ltd pleaded guilty on 30 January 2012 at Chester Magistrates Court of failing to:

• make a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment,
• comply with an enforcement notice,
• provide appropriate fire detectors and alarms,
• ensure that escape routes and exits could be used as quickly and as safely as possible,
• by failing to provide adequate fire resisting doors on the escape routes
• provide adequate and sufficient fire safety training to employees
• provide emergency routes and exits with signage,
• as required provide emergency routes and exits with emergency lighting of adequate intensity
• make and give effect to appropriate arrangements for the effective planning, organisation, control monitoring and review of the preventive and protective measures

"This was an extremely serious case of a business putting people's lives at considerable risk from fire,” said Lee Shears, community fire protection manager for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service."Fire safety is a key part of good business management and Haslington Hall Ltd showed little or no regard for the safety of their guests or employees.”

Fire Service "stealing" work from Self Employed?

From the FIA 1st February 2012


Message of the Week

Fire and Rescue Authorities Trading in Breach of the Local Government Act 2003 -

The FIA believes that a number of Fire and Rescue Authorities are trading in breach
of the Local Government Act 2003 which requires the setting up of an
arms-length trading company if such trading is profitable. In order to gather
evidence on this matter the FIA has submitted Freedom of Information Requests
to a number of Fire and Rescue Authorities and has written to their Chairs to
gain further information and to ask for immediate cessation of trading if it is
in breach of the Local Government Act 2003.

The replies to the Freedom of Information Requests are due back in mid-February and based upon the information gathered the FIA will then move forward to the next part of its investigation of this matter. If any readers of this message would like to
obtain more information on this subject or if they have evidence that would
inform the situation then they should contact Graham Ellicott via gellicott@fia.uk.com

The Local Government Act 2003 is I believe for England & Wales only.

Counterfeit Glens Vodka- Fire Risk

‘Lethal’ fire risk in counterfeit Vodka manufacturing plant

Five men have been jailed for a total of nearly 18 years after a court heard how a complete lack of fire safety measures at a counterfeit vodka manufacturing and bottling plant could have quickly developed into a lethal blaze, with workers unlikely to survive.The five were sentenced at Hull crown court on 25 November for conspiracy to cheat HM Revenue & Customs of up to £1.5 million. A sixth man is due to be sentenced next month.

The plot was uncovered by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) when they carried out raids in September 2009. They seized nine thousand bottles of fake vodka, branded as Glen’s, manufacturing equipment, bottles and counterfeit packaging at a remote industrial unit at Moscow Farm near Great Dalby, Leicestershire.

The court was told that the absence of fire safety measures in the unit posed a serious and life threatening hazard. The alcohol vapour alone could have triggered a major explosion if the lights had been switched on or a naked flame or cigarette had been lit.An expert witness in the case said that with the stored alcohol and so much combustible material lying around in the barn, a fire could have started at any time with considerable loss of life.

With only one exit point, anyone inside the building would have been very unlikely to survive the blaze.Simon De Kayne, assistant director of criminal investigation for HM Revenue & Customs, said:"This was a substantial production, bottling and distribution plant with the infrastructure to distribute large quantities of counterfeit Glen´s vodka throughout the country. But it was set up without any thought for the safety of those working there or in the area nearby."The gang were fully aware the counterfeit vodka they manufactured contained highly dangerous chemicals making it unfit for human consumption, but were interested only in making a profit at the expense of British taxpayers.”

According to the prosecution, the bottles of vodka seized had professionally printed labels, duty stamps and bottle tops – all of which were counterfeit. Analysis of a sample bottle showed raised levels of methanol which, in high quantities, can pose health risks.In addition over 25,000 litres of pure denatured alcohol (methylated spirits) was seized, enough to make around 100,000 bottles of vodka.

Fighting the flab for Fire-fighters. Can Scotland learn?

Efforts in USA to fight the flab for firefighters. Can Scotland learn?
.
WHITE PLAINS — The chatter of hungry men and the clatter of plates fill the kitchen: It is chow time at the firehouse.But don’t expect to see a typical macho meal of steak and potatoes on this menu.Firefighters happily gobbled up grilled chicken breast, romaine salad and mixed fruit on Monday, thanks to Sunny Seward, a White Plains firefighter and certified nutritionist who started an exercise and healthy eating program for his colleagues last year.

“They were actually very open to it,” the 26-year-old said as his crew sat down for lunch at the city’s fire headquarters on Mamaroneck Avenue. “Every meal there is a fruit or vegetable. We reduced the saturated fats. No more hamburgers. No more fried foods. We have limited desserts big-time.”

Job stress, late-night eating and a firehouse culture that promotes big feasts contribute to the high risk of heart attack, hypertension, obesity and diabetes among firefighters, experts say.

Sudden cardiac death has consistently been the top cause of death for on-duty firefighters in the United States, accounting for 40 percent of deaths in the past five years and nearly half in 2010, according to figures from the National Fire Protection Association.“I want to give opportunities to firefighters and let them know there is a preventative way to reduce their chances of heart attacks and heart disease,”

Seward said. “It’s simply by changing lifestyle habits and dietary habits.”After Seward was laid off from White Plains in 2010, he became a certified nutritionist. He was hired back last year and that’s when fellow firefighter Tommy Devine asked for help to get in shape for his September wedding.

Seward now has seven firefighters enrolled in what he has named the Firefighter HealthMaX Plan. They hit the firehouse gym several times a week for 30 to 45 minutes of cardio, and they snack on granola, nuts and fruit smoothies.Seward is the assistant director of nutritional services at Integrated Medicine & Nutrition, a Mount Kisco-based holistic health practice that tracks the firefighters’ progress with blood tests.

How does Scotland's Occupational Health Regime compare? Answers on a water biscuit please.