An EMR scrapyard in Wolverhampton was engulfed by a large fire last Friday night – one that could be seen for miles around.
The blaze began at around 8pm and was under control by midnight, thanks to a crew of five fire engines, an appliance with a crane attached and a hydraulic platform. Once the fire was extinguished, the crew remained at the scene until the following morning as a safety precaution.
The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Fire sometimes strikes twice…
In a strange coincidence, the fire is the second to occur in a West Midlands EMR scrapyard in just a few weeks.
An EMR yard in Saltley, Birmingham caught fire at the end of March. Up to 800 tonnes of metal and plastic were set alight, with 100 firefighters rushing to the scene to quell the blaze.
It is rare that two similar incidents would occur in such a short space of time, but if anything, it shows just how important fire safety is.
Councillor Sandra Samuels, who represents the Ettingshall ward where the fire occurred, described the blaze as “devastating”, adding: “I am sure once it has been investigated we will get to the bottom of the cause. But it is very upsetting for the local area.”
A first in fire safety history?
The crew that tackled the Wolverhampton blaze live streamed its attempt on Facebook – a first in the fire service’s history. Mr Griffiths, the operating commander of Sandwell and Dudley, stated that “The feedback we have had has been significant. For people to see how [to] tackle a fire is good, it’s not just about throwing water, there’s lots of planning.”
For our team here at Salvum, the more that can be done to raise awareness about fire safety, however unconventional the way of doing so, the better.
As well as offering an array of asbestos safety services, we do our utmost to encourage fire safety in the workplace with our fire risk assessments and fire awareness training. Please don’t hesitate to contact us about any of these highly rated and invaluable services.
