Meeting to be held on 18 September 2023
Assistant Chief Fire Officer Jon Charters, Director of Service Delivery
Tel: 01772 866801
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Executive Summary
This report provides Members with information relating to operational incidents of interest since the last report to the Authority.
Recommendation
The Authority is asked to note the report. |
Information
This report provides Members with information relating to operational incidents of interest. This has been a very busy operational period, therefore the report details only the larger deployments or more complex incidents attended. As a result, some incidents that Members have been made aware of locally, may not form part of the report.
The following summarises the incidents with further detail provided within the body of the paper:
- Building fire in Fleetwood (24/5/23)
- Storage yard in Accrington (9/6/2023)
- Multiple houses on fire in Accrington (14/6/2023)
- Derelict chapel in Rossendale (16/6/2023)
- Explosives discovered during police operation in Leyland (22/6/2023)
- Commercial building fire in Haslingden (23/6/2023)
- Road traffic collision (RTC) on the M6, closing the motorway in both directions due to spill (2/7/2023)
- Commercial building fire in Burnley (6/7/2023)
- Commercial building fire in Barnoldswick (9/7/2023)
- Commercial building fire in Blackburn (21/7/2023)
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LFRS station area: |
N32 Fleetwood |
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Date: |
24 May 2023 |
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Time: |
17:34 |
Calls were received to a fire at the Mount Hotel on the Esplanade in Fleetwood. On arrival crews were advised that there were potentially persons within the building therefore requested a total of eight fire engines, two aerial ladder platforms, drone team and an incident command unit. The fire involved the third floor and roof of the building, approximately 20m x 30m in size. Fire crews from across the county attended the fire, including Bispham, Blackpool, Preesall, Fleetwood, St Annes, South Shore, Bolton le Sands, Bamber Bridge and Blackburn.
The fire was tackled internally by firefighters wearing breathing apparatus and externally using the high-level access from the two aerial ladder platforms in attendance. Fire crews were on scene for approximately 24 hours.
The cause of the fire is not believed to be suspicious.
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E70 Hyndburn |
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Date: |
9June 2023 |
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Time: |
02:57 |
Ten fire engines, one aerial ladder platform, and the drone team were called to a commercial property fire on Blackburn Road, Accrington. This attendance was supported by the water bowser, high volume ump (HVP) and the incident command unit. The fire involved a pallet storage yard and approximately 40 shipping containers with mixed storage items. Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus used firefighting water jets, the Stinger appliance to pierce the shipping containers, and the HVP to provide a water supply from the nearby canal.
Fire crews were in attendance for approximately 12 hours. The cause is believed to have been started deliberately, by persons presently unknown. Investigations continue by Lancashire Constabulary.
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LFRS station area: |
E70 Hyndburn |
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Date: |
14 June 2023 |
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Time: |
12:46 |
Eight fire engines from across the county were called to a domestic garage fire on East Crescent, Accrington. The fire spread to neighbouring terraced properties and due to cylinders being present, 15 homes were evacuated for several hours, whilst the cylinders were cooled and deemed safe.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus utilising two firefighting jets tackled the fire at the rear of the property. The drone was used to provide an aerial overview and establish areas of burning across the site.
In total four houses were damaged by fire, along with garages, garden sheds and a camper van. Crews were in attendance for over four hours. A fire investigation took place and the cause is believed to be accidental.
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LFRS station area: |
P73 Bacup |
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Date: |
16 June 2023 |
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Time: |
10:05 |
Four fire engines were mobilised to the derelict, former Waterbarn Baptist Church on Rakehead Lane in Stacksteads. The incident was attended by crews from Bacup, Burnley, Hyndburn and Greater Manchester.
The building consisted of a previously fire damaged derelict church, approximately 30m x 20m in size. Several firefighting water jets, along with the aerial ladder platform, were utilised to fight the fire externally due to the dangerous structure. The drone was also used to scan the scene for any hotspots still present.
As the fire was of suspicious origin, the LFRS fire dog attended the scene and a joint investigation took place, between Police and Fire. The incident was recorded as deliberate and an ongoing police investigation continues. Fire crews were in attendance for approximately seven hours.
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S55 Leyland |
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Date: |
22June 2023 |
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Time: |
07:41 |
LFRS was made aware of a police operation on Nursery Close, Leyland, where a potential explosive device had been found at the property. This led to a significant multi-agency response, involving Police, Fire, Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and others, using Leyland Fire Station as a rendezvous point for the agencies involved. Several LFRS’ resources were stood-by at the rendezvous point including specialist hazardous materials officers and national inter-agency liaison officers, who provided support and advice to colleagues at scene.
A 100m cordon was put in place, leading to several homes being evacuated. The EOD team made the scene explosively safe so that the police could thereafter continue their investigations within the property.
A 59-year-old male was arrested at the scene on suspicion of offences under the explosives act and subsequently bailed. Fire crews were on scene for approximately ten hours.
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LFRS station area: |
P75 Haslingden |
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Date: |
23 June 2023 |
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Time: |
09:05 |
Six fire engines from Hyndburn, Rawtenstall, Bacup and Burnley, along with a fire engine from Greater Manchester, an aerial ladder platform (ALP), water bowser, stinger and command unit attended a commercial building fireon, Commerce Street, Haslingden. The incident was also supported by a hazardous materials officer and the LFRS drone.
The fire involved a building approximately 80m x 30m in size. Due to the manufacturing processes, several chemicals were stored within the building, which could either accelerate the spread of the fire or damage the environment if not contained. As a result, the hazardous materials unit was also requested, so that they could take mitigating measures to prevent contaminated fire water running off the site.
Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus tackled the fire with firefighting water jets, whilst the ALP tackled the fire from above, as the fire had started to spread to the roof space.
Fire crews were in attendance for over 14 hours, damping down and carrying out a fire investigation. The severity of the fire has led to a partial collapse of the industrial unit. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, however is being investigated by insurance companies in conjunction with our fire investigation staff.
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C52 Fulwood |
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Date: |
2July 2023 |
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Time: |
07:13 |
Four fire engines from Preston, Bamber Bridge and Chorley, the Urban Search and Rescue Team and hazardous materials unit from South Shore, were mobilised to a road traffic collision on the M6 southbound between junctions 31A and 31. On arrival, crews found a large goods vehicle that had overturned and approximately 20,000 litres of milk had spilt onto the motorway. Two casualties were treated by North West Ambulance Service and conveyed to hospital.
Fire crews assisted the Highways Agency and Environment Agency to reduce the impacts of the spillage. Milk can be extremely damaging to watercourses, so drains were blocked by fire service staff, in an attempt to minimise the quantities entering the River Ribble, via surface water drains. The LFRS’ boat was utilised on the river, so that the quantities of contaminants entering the water course could be monitored.
The M6 was closed in both directions for several hours as all eight lanes had been contaminated. LFRS and partner agencies were at the scene for over eight hours.
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LFRS station area: |
P90 Burnley |
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Date: |
6 July 2023 |
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Time: |
15:24 |
Eight fire engines from Burnley, Hyndburn, Nelson, Bacup, Rawtenstall, Fulwood, and Blackburn, together with an aerial ladder platform (ALP), stinger, drone and command unit, attended a commercial building fire on Farrington Place, Burnley. The incident involved a commercial building approximately 75m x 50m in size.
Firefighters tackled the fire using several firefighting water jets, the spike from the Stinger and from the water monitor on the ALP. There was severe fire, heat and smoke damage to the entire unit.
Fire crews were in attendance for over 24 hours, damping down and carrying out a fire investigation. The cause of the fire is believed to have been accidental attributed to processes used on the site.
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LFRS station area: |
P93 Barnoldswick |
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Date: |
9 July 2023 |
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Time: |
06:21 |
Eight fire engines from Earby, Colne, Nelson, Burnley and Hyndburn, along with an aerial ladder platform, stinger and drone were called to an incident on Ravenscroft Way, Barnoldswick. The fire involved a commercial building, approximately 75m x 50m in size.
Firefighters using six breathing apparatus, several firefighting water jets, a ground monitor and the ALP externally tackled the fire at the building.
The company used acid baths as part of their processes, which had become damaged and spilled the contents. This created an extremely acidic environment internally. Crews utilised their environmental equipment to lay booms across the entrance to the building, preventing the acidic water running out of the premises.
Fire crews were in attendance for approximately four hours. The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental; however, the investigation was constrained due to the hazardous environment existing within the building.
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LFRS station area: |
E71 Blackburn |
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Date: |
21 July 2023 |
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Time: |
00:39 |
Eight fire engines from Blackburn, Hyndburn, Burnley, Padiham, Preston and Darwen, plus the aerial ladder platform, stinger and drone attended a commercial building fire on Stanley Street, Blackburn.
The building was a single storey multi-occupied mill approximately 50m x 50m in size. There was an established fire within an upholstery company when the first crews arrived. Crews with firefighting water jets and breathing apparatus entered the building to fight the fire. As the fire also involved a northern light roof section, the ALP was utilised to prevent fire spread within the roof.
The cause of the fire is most likely to be accidental. Crews were on scene for approximately 11 hours.
Business Risk
None
Environmental Impact
Potential impact on local environment in relation to operational incidents. Significant incidents benefit from the attendance of specialist water towers (stingers) and the hazardous materials unit both of which have positive impacts on firefighting operations and reduce environmental impacts.
Equality and Diversity Implications
None
HR Implications
None
Financial Implications
None
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
List of background papers
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Contact:
Reason for inclusion in Part 2 if appropriate: N/A