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FIRE SERVICE AND GENERAL FIRE SAFETY TOPICS => Operational => Topic started by: kurnal on July 19, 2006, 08:32:13 AM

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: kurnal on July 19, 2006, 08:32:13 AM

A huge fire in a stackof timber pallets caused chaos and brought down power lines yesterday, causing the evacuation of an industrial estate - on which the new East midlands fire control room is being built.

See www.bbc.co.uk/derby/  for pics

Some areas have legislation in place to control and register large stacks of combustible materials eg under the Derbyshire Act 1981 ( provisions which,  as far as I am aware, will still stand after 1 October)

Do other areas have such provisions and are they enforced?

And would you not think that such factors would be taken into account when assessing suitability of sites on which to build a regional control room?

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: Big A on July 19, 2006, 10:03:26 AM

There was a very large fire at Staples Corner( the junction of the North Circular and beginning of M1) last summer. Efforts had been made for some years before it happened to use the Greater London General Powers Act to little or no effect. The stacks are now approaching the size they were before the fire occurred.

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: Nearlybaldandgrey on July 20, 2006, 09:06:20 AM

Approximately 70,000 pallets ......... now thats a large stack!!

Personally, I thinks it's sheer co-incidence of the location of the jobb and regional control!!!

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: kurnal on July 21, 2006, 11:33:00 AM

I was just interested in how much consideration was given to resilience in choosing the sites for the new controls- after all there are some lines to be drawn - I just wonder what the criteria were.

For example it may not make sense to put a control room alongside a COMAH site such as buncefield, with high  potential for a major incident when efficient comms and mobilising are critical the last thing you want is to evacuate control while all that is going on.

You may also feel the same  about putting it next to a major airport for the same reason.  And perhaps before leasing the site take a look at your neighbours and ensure that they do  at least comply with current legislation in respect of control of major stacks of flammable materials?

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: Chris Houston on July 21, 2006, 01:31:02 PM

Good point, although I would be happier if the FRS made sure everyone complied with legislation, not just their neighbours.

Title: huge fire involving pallets Castle Donington Leics
Post by: Nearlybaldandgrey on July 21, 2006, 02:01:45 PM

Quote from: kurnal

I was just interested in how much consideration was given to resilience in choosing the sites for the new controls- after all there are some lines to be drawn - I just wonder what the criteria were.

That's a question for the DCLG!!!

I assume its all to do with regions ...... and that one is roughly in the middle of that region.