September 2010 Incident Report

his report has been compiled to provide Members with a brief overview of recent operational activity. It Tincludes an outline of major incidents and key training exercises. However, crews faced the intense heat as they fought the Fire at Recycling Plant f ir e o v er a number of hours using sand and dry powder extinguishers. The Hydraulic Platform was used to enable Incident: Fire at a recycling plant in Warrington the crews to tackle the fire from above. Incident ID: 11868 By 4.30pm the crews had extinguished the fire, however Date: 28/07/2010 they would remain on site for most of the evening to Time: 13:01 ensure that all the buildings in the works were safe and Address: Novelis at Latchford Locks Works on there were no further hot-spots that could break out into Thelwall Lane, Warrington a fire. Attendance: Two appliances from Warrington, one from Birchwood and an appliance and The works was evacuated while the incident was ongoing. the Hydraulic Platform from Stockton Heath Fatal fire at Frodsham

Incident: Fatal fire at Frodsham Incident ID: 13086 Date: 21/08/2010 Time: 07:45 Address: Watery Lane, Frodsham

Attendance: Two appliances from Runcorn, one from Widnes and one from

Just after 1pm the Service was called to a fire in a recycling furnace at Novelis at Latchford Locks Works on Thelwall Lane, Warrington.

When they got there crews discovered that the fire was located on top of the furnace, which was used to melt down aluminium cans.

The nature and location of the fire made this a difficult incident to tackle. The molten metal within the furnace meant that crews were unable to use water on the fire as At 7.45am on Saturday 21 August the Service received a this would have forced the metal to cool and crack the call to a fire at a cottage in Watery Lane, Frodsham with furnace. There would also be the issue of the heated liquid reports that there was someone still inside the property. spilling over and injuring the firefighters.

www. fire.gov.uk Two appliances from Runcorn and one from Widnes were with the EA who were informed of and gave advice to sent to the scene, while a fourth from Ellesmere Port was resolve the incident. (Photo shows milk diesel also sent to assist with water supplies. containment on the highway using drain mats which was later recovered by the Highways Agency) On arrival crews found the detached cottage well alight and donned breathing apparatus before entering the building to search for the occupant. Calves rescued from The stairs had burnt away so firefighters then used a ladder to get into one of the bedrooms at the rear of the pond in property.

Once inside they searched the bedrooms and found the Incident: Calves rescued from pond in Plumley occupant on the floor of one of the bedrooms. Incident ID: 13113 Date: 21/08/2010 The 82 year-old men was carried down the ladder by firefighters and was subsequently pronounced dead at the Time: 16:12 scene. Address: Plumley Moor Road, Plumley

Crews brought the fire under control using one main jet Attendance: One fire appliance from Northwich, one but remained at the scene damping down. from Knutsford including the Line Rescue Unit, and the Animal Rescue Fire investigation officers are working with police to Unit from Bollington establish the cause of the blaze which is believed to have started in the hallway.

Staff from the Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service will be visiting other properties in the vicinity to provide reassurance and fire safety advice.

Overturned tanker

Incident: Overturned tanker in Eccleston Incident ID: 12372 Date: 06/08/2010 Time: 21:10 Address: Eccleston Roundabout, Wrexham Road, Eccleston Attendance: One appliance from Chester, one appliance and the environmental protection unit from Ellesmere Port

Only a few hours after the CF&RS Animal Rescue Units Appliances from Chester and Ellesmere Port attended a went ‘ live’, Bollington’s was mobilised, along with an milk tanker overturned leaking both milk and diesel onto appliance from Northwich and the Line Rescue Unit from the highway. The swift action of initial crews, Knutsford, to Plumley Moore Rd, Plumley, to rescue 5 who recognised the risk posed calves that had gone into a pond. to the environment, used the Environment Agency (EA) grab pack to control the leak, and Unfortunately three of the animals were already dead but followed this by deployment the crews successfully rescued the remaining two live and use of equipment carried calves. on the Environmental Protection Unit (EPU). This minimised the potential damage to the environment of this organic pollutant. This incident highlights the value of the joint working arrangement CF&RS have Training

Major Exercise, Stanlow

The full pre-determined attendance of 4 pumping appliances, Hazard Management Unit, Command and Control Unit and the Foam Tanker attended a major exercise at Stanlow and worked alongside works emergency teams, to test the effectiveness of CF&RS ‘cloudburst’ procedures.

Both wholetime and on-call fire fighters were involved from CF&RS. This was also an LRF exercise, ‘Silver Command’ was established at Blacon police station and the Local Authority Emergency Centre was set up at the HQ building in Chester.

Water rescue

To adhere to CFOA National Guidelines (Water safety and Rescue training Standards) Operational Training Group are currently providing Swift Water Rescue Technicians Courses to Crews from Chester, Warrington and Knutsford. The teams have been mobilised several times in 2010 and the value that this training provides to the community was highlighted in April when Warrington’s swift water team rescued a casualty from the River Mersey.

Business Continuity

Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 CF&RS has a responsibility to ensure it deploys and maintains a resilient and effective Operational capability.

Mandatory Contingency Training courses for all Station Managers, Group Managers and Watch Managers (who are not undertaking an operational role) are well underway and on schedule. This training ensures all our operational personnel are trained and available in the event of spate conditions.