News Releases on Fire related incidents
Any statistical figures shown on this page are not a true reflection of all the calls attended by the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service. For full statistical figures please go to the relevant year's Annual Report.
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Incident - Storage Buildings alight
Wednesday 13th August 2008 Time 1851hrs
A group of storage buildings and workshops were extensively damaged by fire in the early hours of Wednesday evening. St Brelade's retained fire crew and two fire crews from St Helier were immediately dispatched when a member of the public reported that they could hear explosions and see smoke issuing from a group of buildings in the Beauport area. Meanwhile in St. Helier a house fire is reported.
On arrival at the fire in St Brelade, crews were faced with a number of adjoining out-buildings, three of which were well alight. Following a rapid reconnaissance of the area, crews were able to located and remove an acetylene welding trolley preventing it from becoming involved. Once this risk had been dealt with, six firefighters wearing breathing apparatus were able to surround and then tackle the fire preventing it from destroying the rest of the buildings. Due to the remote location of the buildings, 10 firefighters had to run out 800meters of hose line to the nearest fire hydrant to make sure that the crews fighting the fire did not run out of water.
During this blaze a further fire, this time in a St Helier home, was reported. Two more fire appliances were dispatched from Fire Service HQ in St Helier. These appliances were crewed by 10 of St Helier's retained firefighters who had been called to duty when the full-time crews were sent to deal with the incident at Beauport.
At the height of operations, the Fire Service had 6 fire engines and 29 firefighters engaged in firefighting activates all at the same time. Luckily, the house fire could be quickly dealt with and the crew were able to rapidly report that they were able to responded to any further incidents should any be reported, preventing the need to callout more off duty staff.
Incident - Small Fire in High Rise Building
Wednesday 30th July 2008 Time 0152hrs
Small fire in kitchen of flat in High Rise building.
An elderly gentleman was awoken to the sound of a smoke alarm actuating in his flat in the early hours of this morning. The Fire and Rescue Service responded and instigated their high rise building firefighting procedures. Two firefighters in breathing apparatus made an entry into the flat and extinguished the fire in the kitchen. Positive pressure ventilation was then used to remove the acrid fumes from the flat.
It was later ascertained that a chip pan had been left on the hob and had been accidentally turned on by the elderly gentlemen prior to his going to bed.
This type of incident highlights the life saving qualities of having a working smoke alarm. The Fire and Rescue Service wish to recommend that people carryout a safety check of their homes prior to going to bed. Any member of the public requiring advice on Home Fire Safety are asked to contact the Fire and Rescue Service on 445967 to arrange a home visit.
Incident - Acetylene Cylinder on Fire
Monday 28th July 2009 Time - 1437hrs (Update)
The Acetylene cylinder has now been successfully cooled and the incident has reached its conclusion with the site being handed back to the owners.
Following yesterdays incident involving a heated Acetylene cylinder Fire Crews have successfully cooled the cylinder. Throughout the night the cylinder was constantly cooled using a spray jet supplied through a portable pump and the thermal image camera was used to monitor the heat levels of the cylinder. A 100 metre cordon was set up and the site including the offices of Tractor Services were evacuated together with two properties, the roads immediately around the site were also closed.
The Fire Service would like to thank the States Police and Honorary Police for their assistance to evacuate the area, close the roads and maintain a overnight presence securing the area.
Incident - Acetylene Cylinder on Fire
Monday 28th July 2009 Time - 1437hrs
Another incident involving an Acetylene Cylinder has occurred at A A Langlois premises on the old R G Romeril site.
A call was received from Mr John Syvret of A A Langlois informing that an Acetylene cylinder that was being used was on fire between the valve and the flame arrester device, whilst the details of the incident were being taken the flame diminished and went out. An attendance to the scene was made by two fire appliances the duty Station Manager and our control unit and the officer in charge put our Acetylene procedures in place. A 100 metre cordon was set up and the site including the offices of Tractor Services were evacuated together with two properties, the roads immediately around the site were also closed. A water jet has been trained onto the cylinder and cooling will take place for 24 hours after which the cylinder will be inspected and a further assessment made. A crew will be on site during this period to monitor the incident.
The public are requested to avoid the area as access into Les Charriers Nicolle is restricted.
Incident - Fire in Roof
Saturday 26th July 2008 Time - 1457hrs
An extraction flue sited too close to wooden beams caused a small fire in the roof of a bakery in Georegetown.
The Fire And Rescue service received a call for a fire in the Georgetown area at 1457hrs. Two fire appliances were dispatched to the scene with nine fire fighters. On arrival light smoke could be seen coming from under a flat roof at the rear of a bakery. After gaining access two fire fighters wearing Breathing Apparatus removed part of the ceiling to expose the area on fire, they then extinguished the fire using a high pressure hose reel. A further inspection was carried out to ensure the fire had not spread further into the roof.
Incident - Fire at Bellozane Plant works (update 1000 17th July)
The Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) carried out a review of their current operational activities this morning at 0830. This was followed up by a multi-agency meeting at 0900 involving management from FRS, Police, Ambulance, and TTS.
The results of the FRS review were that both the cylinders affected (Acetylene and Oxygen) had 'burned out' without failure of the cylinders themselves. Both cylinders were surveyed utilising a Thermal Image Camera and found to be cold (if the cylinder walls are heated they weaken leading to increased chance of failure).
The meeting were informed that the FRS did not perceive any further risk to be posed by the cylinders and as such, through the Police, the incident/area was once again handed over to TTS management.
TTS will issue guidance on when and how Bellozanne Road and the incinerator/Dump will be re-opened, however all is expected to be re-opened at 1100.
The success of this incident has been dependent upon a number of factors, however the joined-up approach of the emergency services and TTS has been pivotal. From the moment the FRS arrived to the end of FRS involvement this morning all these States Departments (FRS, Police, Ambulance, TTS) have been fully informed and involved in dealing with the serious issues the incident caused.
Cylinders of this type, when exposed to fire, have proven to be extremely volatile, and the FRS must put safety, both that of public and emergency responders, as their number one priority.
During this extraordinary period for the FRS, with both the Mont Fallu and Bellozanne incidents, the FRS has had to continue to provide island-wide cover and this simply could not of been achieved without the extra hours worked by it's full-time staff and the continued support of Retained Firefighters and their employers.
Incident - Fire at Bellozane Plant works
Wednesday 16th July - Time 0849hrs
Fire involving Acetylene Cylinder at Bellozanne, 200m cordon in place.
Firefighters are still at the scene of the Acetylene cylinder fire at Bellozanne this afternoon. The fire which broke out in a welding kit near the base of the incinerator has been burning all day.
Chief Fire Officer Mark James Said "Because Acetylene gas is one of the most flammable gasses used commercially, it is far safer for us to let the cylinder burn off in a controlled fashion.".
The firefighters have two jets of water cooling the body of the cylinder and these will remain in place for at least 24 hours.
Fire Officers are continually monitoring the situation and will keep the 200m exclusion zone in place until the cylinder contents has burnt out, after all the contents has burnt off they hope to reduce the zone to 100m. A zone of 100m is still required even though the contents has finished burning as the cylinder still has the capacity to explode and is not deemed safe until at least 24 hours has passed.
The Chief Fire Officer added "It has been an extraordinary few days for Jersey Fire and Rescue Service, over the past 48 hours while we have been dealing with the two major incidents we have also responded to various smaller incidents. It is fair to say we have been stretched to capacity with both whole time and retained firefighters working long hours and showing fantastic dedication to the Service."
Incident - Fire in private hotel/lodgings (Update 1500hrs 16th July)
Firefighters have spent the day damping down the remaining pockets of fire at Broadlands Lodging House and Re-cycling site.
Firefighters have remained at the sight of the large fire at Broadlands today extinguishing any remaining pockets of fire. At around midday the 100m cordon was removed allowing the last few evacuated families to return to their homes.
The fire investigation into the cause of the fire continues today, however a detailed search of the site has been delayed because the damage to the buildings was so great that they have partially collapsed and may collapse further at any time. Once the area has been made safe, the fire investigation team will enter the site and carry out search of the debris to ascertain how the fire started.
Two Firefighters will remain at the scene throughout the night on fire watch and dealing with any on going pockets of fire.
Incident - Fire LPG Gas Cylinder Patio Heater.
Tuesday 15th July 2008 - Time 1834hrs
A Gas Patio Heater catches fire.
Two fire engines from town and one from the Western Fire Station at St Brelade were mobilised to a house in Route Orange yesterday teatime when a gas patio heater caught fire. Two part time fire-fighters quickly dealt with the metre high flames using an extinguisher and were able to safely shut down the cylinder. The cylinder was then cooled down with a water spray from a high pressure hose reel and the temperature checked using a thermal imaging camera.
The fire was caused by the LPG gas leaking from cracks in the rubber flexible hose connecting the cylinder to the heater. The hose was 7 years old and well worn and cracked near the cylinder valve. This is the second gas barbecue fire within the last couple of weeks.
Community Safety Manager Marc Le Cornu said "Now that the summer is finally beginning and people are starting to use their barbecues, it is essential that they are checked before use. Gas barbecues are generally stored outside and therefore subject to deterioration. It is very common for the rubber hoses to perish or the connections loosened due to moving the barbecue around. Before using your gas barbecue it is essential to check the hose and connections, the easiest way is to brush a liquid soap solution over the hose and connections looking for any sign of bubbles which will indicate a leak. Jersey Gas supply a leak detection kit which consists of a leak detection fluid, the correct spanner to ensure the connections are sufficiently tight and some instructions on changing cylinders safely.
Additionally, Jersey Gas now supply a new regulator valve which can be done up by hand, negating the need for a spanner, these are about £10 and a worthwhile investment."
"Should you be involved with a gas cylinder fire, please do not try to tackle them as they can explode like a bomb, Immediately evacuate the area and call the emergency services."
Incident - Fire in private hotel/lodgings (Update 1730hrs 15th July)
Firefighters have spent the day damping down hotspots at the scene of the fire at Broadlands Lodging House and Re-cycling plant.
A fire engine, water bowser and the Hydraulic Aerial Ladder Platform (ALP) remain on site. The ALP is being used to direct water onto the burning remains from a safe distance. A 100m cordon is being maintained around the building due to the instability of the guest house and the number of damaged cylinders. The Fire & Rescue Service will be continuing to damp down pockets of fire throughout the night. A joint Fire & Police fire investigation team have started to investigate the cause of the fire. This is expected to be a prolonged process due to the about of damage on site.
Incident - Fire in private hotel/lodgings (Update 1200hrs 15th July)
Fire Officers have returned to the scene and reduced the cordon to 100m.
Fire Officers have returned to the scene of the blaze in St Peter this morning to asses if there is any further risk of explosion. Officers have now reported back that all visible cylinders have either exploded or split open and that the 200m cordon which was put in place last night can now be reduced to 100 meters, allowing all those local residents who were evacuated last night to return to there homes. Chief Fire Officer Mark James said "I would like to thank all those affected by this fire for being so patient and understanding, we appreciate how upsetting it must have been to be evacuated from your home , but the risk created by the exploding cylinders was so great that we were left with no option but to move people to safety" He added " Residents may return home to find debris on and around their property, this debris is not dangerous however if you have any concerns please contact The Health Protection department at the Le Bas Centre.
Incident - Fire in private hotel/lodgings (Update 0915hrs 15th July)
The Fire & Rescue Service have remained on scene at the Broadland site following a severe fire that occurred last night and they will be carrying out a Fire Investigation this morning.
Fire crews have remained on scene throughout the night. They used monitors to direct water onto the remaining hot spots and to cool the gas cylinders from a safe distance. A joint Fire & Police fire investigation team will be on scene this morning to investigate the cause of the fire. A fire service Hazmat Officer and the Health & Safety Inspectorate will also be visiting the site to assess whether the cylinders on site still prevent a hazard to the public and aircraft. Once it is deemed safe to approach the buildings, the remaining hot spots can be extinguished. Firefighters will remain at the site throughout the day cooling cylinders and damping down.
A further press update will be provided once an assessment of the scene has been completed.
Incidents involving gas cylinder particularly acetylene cylinders can be very hazardous to fire crews. The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service’s overriding priority is the safety of the public and its crews. The Service’s policy is once it is suspected that an acetylene cylinder has been affected by fire, we will:
• Evacuate all non- Fire Service personnel from the immediate area.
• Establish a 200m hazard zone around the premises.
• Cool the cylinder with water for a period of at least 24 hours.
• Consider evacuation of all members of the public within the 200m zone.
Incident - Fire in private hotel/lodgings
Monday - 14th July 2008 - Time 1839hrs
A large fire has destroyed a private hotel, an adjacent house and numerous surrounding out buildings and Hives.
The Fire & Rescue Service has spent the night battling a large fire in 3 storey private hotel. The fire is believed to have started in adjacent out buildings and large sheds which contained HGVs, tyres and cylinders. The fire quickly spread to both the main 3 storey private hotel and a two story lodging house. The initial crews were confronted with a quickly developing fire. Wearing breathing apparatus they battled to prevent it spreading but their efforts were hampered by a shortage of water. A foam water carrier and water bowser were sent to the incident to provide additional water supplies. As the incident escalated four additional fire engines were sent to provide additional personnel. Hoses had to be run out to the nearest hydrant at Beaumont hill, approx 500m away. The outbuildings surrounding the hotel, that were engulfed in fire contained numerous cylinders (LPG & acetylene), some of these started to exploded. The poor water supplies and the additional hazards from the exploding cylinders forced fire crews to withdraw to a safe distance and fight the fires externally, concentrating their efforts on preventing the fire spreading to nearby houses. Water supplies were supplemented by pumping water from the swimming pool at St Peters Country Apartments.
At the height of the fire 40 firefighters, 6 fire engines, 2 water carriers, the Multi Role Vehicle and Command Unit were at the scene. The Fire Service declared a code amber recalling off duty personnel to support operations. All of the Service's Retained (part time) firefighters were also called in to help. Two additional crews provided Island wide fire cover. The Chief Fire Officer Mark James said 'It was a scene of complete devastation with buildings, outbuildings and HGVs all on fire. Fire crews worked very hard to try to prevent the fire spreading but the limited water supplies and the hazards from the exploding cylinders made this an impossible task.'
Due to the number of cylinders that were continuing to explode a 200 metre hazard exclusion zone was established around the incident. The residents in the nearby houses were evacuated to St Peters Parish Hall. States and Honorary Police provided support in evacuating the residents and securing the hazard cordon. The States Ambulance Service were also on scene as a safety precaution. One firefighter suffered minor burns to his arm and was treated by Paramedic on scene. Jersey Metrological office provided advice on the direction of the smoke plume. The size of the fire and smoke plume resulted in the nearby airport having to suspend all flights. It remained closed for the remainder of the evening. Environmental protection and the Health & Safety Inspectorate also attended the incident to provide support and advice in protecting the surrounding area.
The fire was brought under control at 23.29. The majority of the fires were extinguished and the resources were scaled down at 02.00 to a single fire appliance to provide an overnight fire watch and to provide cooling jets for the remaining seats of fire and the heated cylinders. The 200 metre exclusion zone will remain in place overnight until a further assessment can be undertaken in the morning. A fire investigation will also commence in the morning.
Other Information: It is UK Fire & Rescue Service policy to maintain a 200 metre hazard exclusion zone around any acetylene cylinders that have been involved in fire for a period of 24 hours. This is due to their instability once heated and the possibility that they may still explode a considerable time after the fire has been extinguished.
Incident - Fire in Hotel
Friday 04th July 2008 - Time 0500hrs
This morning a fire broke out in a tumble dryer within the laundry room at the Atlantic Hotel. A full evacuation of the hotel was carried out.
3 fire engines, including the part-time fire crew from Western Station, were sent to the Atlantic Hotel just before 0500hrs this morning following reports of a fire within the hotel. The fire crews arrived to find the hotel fully evacuated with all staff and guests accounted for. The fire was quickly located within the hotel's laundry room by 4 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus. The breathing apparatus teams used water from a high pressure hosereel to extinguish the fire and then utilised a ventilation fan to remove the smoke from the affected areas and also to prevent the smoke from entering the unaffected parts of the hotel.
The fire was quickly brought under control and guests were allowed back into the main hotel area which was unaffected by the fire.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu said "The hotel staff were alerted to this fire by the hotel's fire detection system, following the discovery of the fire a full evacuation of the hotel was carried out and all of the guests and staff were accounted for on before our arrival. The hotel staff did a tremendous job in achieving this effective evacuation, which prevented the need for us to commit any further crews to search for missing persons and allowed us to concentrate on the dealing with the fire.
Additionally, this incident enforces the message that our current campaign is trying to send out, as the hotel's working fire detection system and efficient escape plan prevented any guests or staff members being trapped or injured at this incident. So please ensure that you have a smoke alarm, that it works and that you have a plan to help you escape from a fire in your home"
"Remember free home fire safety visits are available by calling 445967"
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Escape Plans
Safety advice when staying in Hotels
Incident - Fire involving Gas BBQ
Tuesday 01st July 2008 - Time 2104hrs
A St Clement family had a very lucky escape when two (2) metre flames suddenly engulfed their BBQ. They left the property and alerted the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service. On arrival it was found that Propane leaking from a gas cylinder had ignited due to an incorrectly fitted regulator. The blaze was quickly extinguished with two hosereels by Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus.
The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service are strongly advising owners of GAS BBQs to:
(1) Always read the instructions provided with the appliance.
(2) If the connection is by threaded nut this must be tightened using a spanner providing the correct torque.
(3) Test for leaks with a soapy liquid solution.
(4) Regularly check hose pipes for signs of wear.
Key Links - Leisure Safety
Propane Garden Heaters
Escape Plans
Smoke Alarms
Incident - Fire in Hotel
Sunday 22nd June 2008 - Time 1215hrs
A fire in a bedroom of the Ommaroo hotel started on the second floor caused by a faulty electrical kettle.
The fire service received a call today for a fire in a bedroom on the second floor of the Ommaroo hotel. The alarm was raised after automatic fire detection was actuated by smoke from the fire. Two appliances were sent from fire service HQ which were on scene within minutes. It was quickly established that the fire was on the second floor and that a member of staff had attempted to fight the fire with an extinguisher but had been driven back by smoke. Crews wearing breathing apparatus made entry to the compartment where they were met by a small but rapidly developing fire that had produced a large amount of smoke. Using a high pressure hose reel they quickly brought the fire under control and contained any further smoke damage to the rest of the floor by using a positive pressure ventilation fan to drive out the rest of the smoke under controlled conditions through a pre planned outlet. The early warning from the smoke detectors and the quick action of the fire crews prevented this small fire from turning into a much larger event that could have potentially spread beyond the compartment from which it started. After the fire an investigation revealed that a electrical fault in a kettle was responsible for the fire, the large amount of smoke that was produced was caused by plastic material from the kettle. Crews remained behind to cut away part of the stud work wall to ensure no fire spread had made its way into the voids of the building. The fire service praised the hotel staff for their quick evacuation procedures and their initial actions in dealing with the fire.
This is an excellent example of smoke detectors giving early warning of fire and alerting the occupants of the danger
Key Links - Escape Plans
Smoke Alarms
Electrical Safety
Incident - Fire in Hotel
Tuesday 03rd June 2008 - Time 1254hrs
Fire in games room of Metropole Hotel, Roseville Street.
At lunch time today Jersey Fire and Rescue Service crews were called to a fire in the games room at the Metropole Hotel.
Following a pre-alarm activation of the Hotel smoke alarm, the Manager inspected the area to find thick black smoke down to waste level in the hotel games room. After ensuring no-one was inside, he shut the door to the games room and called the fire service. At the same time the hotel fire alarm went into full alarm and the hotel staff ensured that the hotel was fully evacuated.
Two fire engines responded to the incident with 9 firefighters from White Watch. Part time firefighters were also called in to ensure Island fire cover was maintained. 4 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building with 2 hosereels to locate and tackle the fire. The crews were confronted with a very large games room completely full of hot thick black smoke and located the fire with the assistance of a thermal imaging camera. The main seat of the fire was within a jungle gym type play area which contained a ball pit and slides. 2 Ventilation fans were used to try to limit the smoke damage to the affected area of the hotel.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu said "Our crews worked extremely hard to keep the fire damage within the games room and limit the damage to the remainder of the hotel. Due to the large amounts of foam and plastics involved in the fire, enormous volumes of hot toxic smoke were given off which hampered the crews access to the fire. We managed to quickly clear the smoke from the unaffected parts of the hotel by utilising vantilation fans which pushed the smoke out of the building. Thanks to the effective evacuation of the hotel by the staff, our crews could concentrate on tackling the fire and not commit resources for searching for missing persons."
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by Fire & Rescue and Police investigators.
Key Links - Escape Plans
Smoke Alarms
Incident - Charity Car Wash
Charities Benefiting - Jersey Hospice and The Fire Service Benevolent Fund.
The Fire & Rescue Service today washed 438 cars and raised over £4000.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu said "This great result was achieved thanks to the fantastic effort of the duty watch, full time firefighters, part time fire fighters, retired firefighters, Joint Fire & Ambulance Combined Control Staff, Airport Rescue & Firefighting staff and family members, who all gave up their time to run this event.
To raise this amount of money and to have washed so many vehicles owes a great deal to the generosity of the people of our Island, who came out in force to support this event, so a big thankyou to everyone who brought their vehicle in for a wash or who donated money whilst passing by."
The volunteers washed an array of vehicles including, a bus, breakdown truck, removals lorry, boat on a trailer, a Bentley Continental and numerous taxi's.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu added "We must also thank all those people who donated car washing equipment to help achieve the task and also those who gave us food and drink, which kept the teams going all day!"
Statement on Western Fire Station.
Tuesday 27th May 2008
The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service are issuing the following statement in response to the Control & Auditor General’s proposed potential sending reduction of closing the Western Fire Station.
In Brief:
Western Fire Station is an asset to the Fire & Rescue Service. It provides essential night-time emergency fire response to the Western Parishes. On average it will arrive at incidents in this part of the Island at least two minutes quicker than a fire engine from St Helier. Without the Western Fire Station the Service would not be able to meet it’s attendance times in this area.
Details:
The Western Fire Station and firefighters provide primary cover at night-time between 6.00 pm and 7.00 am. People are more that twice as likely to be a casualty in a fire during the night-time because they are asleep. Fires at night-time also tend to be more serious because they can develop unnoticed for longer periods. The fire engine from Western Fire Station will arrive on average 2 minutes quicker than back up appliances from St Helier.
The value of the Western Station was demonstrated this week, when it provided fire cover whilst the fire engines from St Helier dealt with the tragic fatal fire in Mont Cochon, it dealt with the fire in the public toilets in Sir Winston Churchill Park, St Brelade where persons were initially believed to be trapped inside and last night two fire engines from Western Fire Station dealt with numerous flooding incidents.
The Western retained firefighters make up 20% of the Service’s firefighter compliment. They not only provide essential fire cover for St Brelade they also give Island wide support to the Service in dealing with large incidents such as the Wesley Street Church fire and the Bouley Bay furze fire.
The use of retained firefighters is a very cost efficient means of providing fire cover to the Island. Additionally the running costs for Western Fire Station are subsidised by a rental income the Service receives from a house attached to the Station.
The Chief Fire Officer Mark James said ‘The loss of Western Fire Station would have a significant impact on the Fire & Rescue Service. The Fire Station and it's Retained Firefighters are an essential part of our emergency response and provide good value for money. We have recently made some minor changes to the shift pattern for the Western Retained Firefighters to improve their availability and this along with the four new retained recruit firefighters will ensure that we continue to have reliable night time emergency response from the Western Fire Station. I have therefore recommended to the Minister, that for operational reasons, we keep the Western Fire Station’.
Other Information:
St Brelade is the 3rd busiest Parish for fires (124 in the last 4 years, as a comparator Grouville only had 34 fires over the same period). St Brelade is one of only three Parishes in the Island, the other two being St Helier and St Saviour, that has been assessed as a high fire risk i.e. it has a high fire and casualty rate per head of population and number of dwellings and therefore should have a quicker emergency response. The West of the Island not only contains the Parish of St Brelade with a large residential population but also the Island Prison and the Airport, two major risk sites for the Fire & Rescue Service.
The Western Fire Station is also a valuable asset that is used to house fire engines and equipment, that provides an additional training venue, a venue for community safety activities such as the Prince’s Trust days and a fall back location should the Service need to evacuate the fire station in St Helier at short notice.
Similar to the UK, the Service has had difficulty in recruiting retained firefighters for the Western Fire Station; there are currently 6 vacancies at the Station. Following a recent recruitment campaign eight successful candidates (four for Western Fire Station and four for St Helier) will commence basic retained firefighter training on 31st May. This will leave two vacancies at Western Fire Station we are leaving the recruitment process open for Western Fire station, if anyone is interested in becoming a part time firefighter at the Western Fire Station please contact the Fire & Rescue Service on 01534 445906 for further information.
Incident - Fire in Pool House Boiler Room
Sunday 25th May 2008 - Time - 0944hrs
At 0944hrs The Service received a call for help, from the occupier of a property in Trinity, reporting that his swimming pool boiler house had caught fire.
The Service responded with 2 fire appliances from HQ. On arrival the wooden structure enclosing the oil fired boiler, pump and filter system was engulfed by fire. 2 Fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus using water from a high pressure hose reel, quickly dealt with the blaze.
Incident - Fire in Toilets
Friday 23rd May 2008 - Time 0038hrs.
Toilets at Sir Winston Churchill Park badly damaged by fire.
The Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire this morning at the public toilets situated in the car park of Sir Winston Churchill park. The call was received via a mobile police unit that were on patrol in the area. Two appliances were initially dispatched, one from town and one retained crew from western station. While on route further information was received that persons may still be inside, this lead to a third appliance being dispatched. The first two appliances arrived within thirty seconds of each other and were met with a well established fire that had taken hold of the west facing side of the building and was working its way through the rest of the block. Two breathing apparatus crews got to work immediately with high pressure hose reels, one crew attacked the fire while the second carried out a search of the other compartments that were heavily smoke logged. It was quickly established that nobody was inside and the fire was brought under control as both crews worked to extinguish the fire. A positive pressure ventilation fan was used to assist with the removal of smoke and a thermal imaging camera used to help find hotspots in the roof. The fire service remained on scene as they had to cut away a large part of the roof to totally extinguish the fire. The cause of the fire is under joint investigation by the fire and police.
Incident - House Fire (update)
Tuesday 20th May 2008 - Time - 0406hrs
Community Safety Manager Marc Le Cornu said "The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service this morning are sending their condolences to the family of the 3 year old toddler who died in hospital last night following a house fire in Mont Cochon.
Following the news that the little girl has now died as a result of the fire in her home, we are pulling out all the stops to prevent this type of tragedy happening again".
Yesterday evening members of the Community Safety Team visited the area where the fire occurred to offer advice, support and where needed fit free smoke dectors. The Team visited around 30 homes and fitted 14 smoke detectors.
Community Safety Manager Marc Le Cornu added "being able to react to this tragedy in a positive way helps us all come to terms with this devastating incident. Last night we were able to visit the neighbouring area, but we want to spread our fire safety message throughout the whole Island by offering every resident a free home fire safety check"
Home fire safety checks consist of firefighters coming to your home and offering advice on any risks that their trained eyes may spot, helping you to make an escape plan for what to do if you have a fire and they will also fit a free fire alarm where necessary.
To get your free home fire safety check please phone 445906 or click here
Chief Fire Officer Mark James said "I take every fire death on our Island personally and will take all possible steps to prevent it happening again"
This has been the first fire death in the Island in 2 1/2 years. The Fire and Rescue Service are dedicated to making the Island a safer community and have recently increased the Community Safety Team to focus on delivering all aspects of safety advice to the local community.
Incident - House Fire
Tuesday 20th May 2008 - Time - 0406hrs
House Fire has left a mother and her child seriously ill in hospital.
Fire and Ambulance Combined Control received a call from a mother trapped in her smoke logged house at 0406hrs this morning, the fire broke out in an airing cupboard in the upstairs of the mid terraced property, thick toxic smoke given off by the blaze trapped the woman and her three year old in the front bedroom of the house.
Two whole time fire engines and one retained engine were immediately dispatched from the St Helier station, the Western fire engine was called into St. Helier to provide Island wide cover for any further incidents. Upon arriving at the scene they were confronted with one male casualty suffering from shock and smoke inhalation, he was able to tell crews that there were two people trapped in the upstairs of the building.
A total of four firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the building, two firefighters tackled the blaze whilst the other two firefighters entered the front bedroom and located the mother and child, both were unconscious and suffering from severe smoke inhalation.
Both casualties were carried out of the building and into the care of awaiting paramedics.
Due to the number of casualties, Firefighters and Paramedics worked together on the casualties carrying out CPR for some considerable time before they were conveyed to hospital by Ambulance.
Fire Service control officer David Fitton was able to talk to the woman for around 3 minutes before her phone cut off, during this time her was able to give her advice on reducing the affect of the smoke to her and her child.
A joint Police and Fire service investigation is underway, however initial findings are that this was a small accidental fire that broke out in an upstairs airing cupboard. Unfortunately early indications are that the smoke alarm in the property was not working and so by the time the fire was discovered the toxic smoke given off by the fire was at a dangerous level.
Officers form the Community Safety department will be visiting the area later today to offer advice and support to members of the community.
Community fire Safety Manager Marc Le Cornu said "This has been one of most distressing incidents we have had to deal with in recent times, our thought are with all those involved, we are all praying that everyone makes a full recovery". He added "we want to take this opportunity to remind the public of the importance of working smoke alarms, fire strikes when you least expect it and even a small fire can have devastating results. Check your smoke alarm today".
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Escape Plans
Home Fire Safety Check
Incident - Fire in Laundry
Wednesday 23rd April 2008 - Time - 0100hrs
Fire in Laundry causes extensive smoke damage throughout premises.
One fire appliance responded to an automatic fire alarm actuation at the premises adjacent to the laundry. Upon arrival an inspection was carried out and it was quickly established that there was a fire in the laundry. A second fire appliance was quickly deployed and two firefighters in breathing apparatus forced entry into the laundry and tackled the blaze with a hosereel. The fire was quickly extinguished and positive pressure ventilation was used to clear the premises of smoke.
The cause of the fire is unknown and an investigation is being carried out.
This incident highlights the merits of having an automatic fire alarm system in a commercial premises. Had there not been such an early warning a major fire within the premises would have been likely.
Incident - Garage Fire
Monday - 07th April 2008 - Time 1310hrs
Fire seriously damages a garage in St Peter.
The Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire involving an adjoining garage to a St Peter property at 1310hrs. The Service attended with 2 fire appliances from HQ. On arrival the garage contents had already been severely damaged by fire. 2 Fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus quickly dealt with the blaze and managed to keep the fire contained to the garage. Fortunately the door connecting the garage to the house was closed and fire did not spread to the house. The elderly occupier although shocked, was unhurt. Due to the Easter holidays, children were playing in the area and alerted a neighbour of the affected property who in turn called the Service.
After the incident the Service carried out a home fire safety check for the occupier and fitted smoke alarms. The public are reminded that the Service will carry out free home fire safety checks. These can be arranged by contacting the Service on 445906.
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Incident - Chip Pan Fire
Wednesday - 26th March 2008 - Time - 0855hrs
This morning an elderly lady had a lucky escape when a chip pan caught fire in her kitchen. She and her carer attempted to extinguish the fire using wet towels whils awaiting the awrrival of the Fire & Rescue Service.
Three fire engines, including a crew of part time firefighters, attended a kitchen fire at Keith Baal Gardens this morning, where the occupier was reported as still being inside the flat. On arrival a crew of firefighters wearing breathing apparatus entered the flat with a fire extinguisher and discovered the fire to be out and the occupier being cared for by her neighbour.
After investigation, it was discovered that the occupier had cooked some porridge for breakfast and after taking the porridge pan of the cooker, had then put a pan of oil onto the hot plate and accidentally forgotten to turn off the heat. The elderly lady and her carer were then alerted to the problem when her smoke alarm actuated. They went to the kitchen to find the pan of oil on fire and, after calling the Fire & Rescue Service, had the presence of mind to try to limit the damage by placing damp towels over the burning pan. They then opened the windows, shut the door to the kitchen and got out of the flat.
The elderly lady was treated for shock on scene by paramedics. The fire crews asisted the occupier by using a motorised fan to ventilate the flat and also requested the attendance o Housing to check over the cooker and extractor hood.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu said:
"The actions taken by the occupier using the damp towels, opening the window and closing the door to the kitchen definitely reduced the potential damage to this flat. I would however like to advise people who may have a similar chip pan fire to only attempt to tackle them in this way if you are confident to do so, and to ensure that the towel is only damp and not wet. The safest method of tackling this type of fire is simply to close the door, call the Fire & Rescue Service and get out of the building"
He added "Yet again the dreaded chip pan has claimed another kitchen, please get rid of your traditional chip pans and replace them with a thermostatically controlled deep fat fryer, they are so much safer!"
Key Links - Chip Pan Safety
Smoke Alarms
Escape Plans
Incident - Fire in Kitchen
Friday - 21st March 2008 - Time - 1400hrs
The States Fire and Rescue Service was called to a kitchen fire involving a commercial deep fat fryer at the Hotel. A large quantity of oil was well alight and smoke was travelling through the floors above.
Two Chefs had been working in the kitchen when the oil in the fryer burst into flames, reacting quickly they limited the damage by throwing fire blankets over the appliance. Initially this action controlled the blaze while the fire and rescue service were called. However such is the heat from this type of fuel the blankets were unable to contain the fire. To put out the fire a crew from Blue watch with two appliances had to deploy a team wearing breathing apparatus and equipped with a high pressure hose reel and fire extinguishers. Additional crews were called as smoke was found throughout the upper floors of the hotel, giving rise to a threat of unseen fire spread in the spaces between floors and walls, which fortunately was proved not to be the case after a thorough inspection.
The hotel understandably completed a full evacuation, including a group of guests unfortunately having to interrupt Spa treatments, all of which was thoroughly well organised and achieved in a commendably short time.
Incident - Cars Alight
Friday - 21st March 2008 - Time - 0456hrs
This morning shortly before 0500hrs the States Fire and Rescue Service were called to a car fire at snow hill car park after receiving several calls from the public. One fire appliance was dispatched from Rouge Bouillon fire station. On route to the incident the crew were informed by the joint control centre that the fire had spread to other vehicles .On arrival the they were faced with a serious fire involving multiple vehicles but due to the rapid intervention of the crew using two high pressure hose reels and breathing apparatus the blaze was quickly bought under control before it could spread to other vehicles in the car park.
Incident - Domestic Fire Alarm Actuated
Sunday - 16th March 2008 - Time - 2350hrs
A neighbour could hear the alarm actuating but could not raise the occupier. She immediately called the emergency services as there was also a strong smell of smoke.
Two fire appliances were despatched and upon arrival the concerned neighbour met and briefed the attending crews.
Two fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus broke into the flat and extinguished the small fire with a CO2 extinguisher. They discovered a 24 year old male asleep in the lounge and escorted him outside to fresh air where he was administered oxygen by fire crews.
A positive pressure fan was used to rid the flat of smoke as an ambulance crew checked the occupier's state of health.
Watch Manager Chris Love would like to praise the neighbours' quick thinking and actions. He says " the deployment of crews and resources were made a lot easier as we were met and briefed by someone as we arrived at the incident. The actuation of the working smoke alarm and the fact that the neighbour called the emergency services definitely saved the occupiers life".
He added "This incident was dealt with quickly and efficiently by the attending crews. However this may not had been the case should the incident had been more serious or if it had escalated. A number of cars had been parked in areas which should have been kept clear for access routes for the fire appliances and any other emergency vehicles. This obviously created all kinds of problems as we attempted to deal with this fire call. It was also noted that a car had parked in the immediate vicinity of the fire hydrant which would have seriously restricted our water supply should we have needed to use the hydrant".
The SJFRS would like to remind everyone of the dangers of leaving cooking unattended. A working smoke alarm saved this young man's life. Members of the public should contact the SJFRS for any further advice and to apply for a free home fire safety check.
Incident - Fire in Arts Centre
Friday 14th March 2008 - Time 0956hrs Further Update.
The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service tackle roof blaze at Arts Centre - Disaster averted through rapid response to a serious fire involving an important island resource.
The Fire & Rescue Service (FRS) initially responded to an automatic fire alarm at the arts centre at 0601 this morning. On arrival, the single fire appliance crew were met with signs of smoke coming from a roof on the eastern side of the centre which is the Providence Street side. The initial attendance was then doubled to two appliances and then further to include the Aerial Ladder Platform (a hydraulic platform ladder).
Once these amounts of FRS resources are deployed we then call in crews from our retained service (part-time). The intention is that the retained personnel provide island cover whilst resources are being utilised at the incident. In this case however at approximately 0640 they were deployed to the Arts Centre to back up their fulltime colleagues. This in-turn lead to more retained crews being called into FRS HQ to maintain island wide cover.
At the height of the incident four fire appliances, an ALP, and an Incident Command Vehicle were on scene.
Any roof fire has the potential to spread to other areas of the building rapidly, and with the size of the roof areas at the Art Centre this could have easily lead to a very large fire involving the whole building.
The difficulties encountered in dealing with any roof fire include access to the actual fire in that roofs are designed to keep water out; our primary method of extinguishing the fire. Fire fighters, working at height, cut away the roofing tiles to expose the fire beneath. As air rushed into the roof void the fire expanded exponentially leading to high reaching flames escaping the roof void.
FRS crew worked quickly, in arduous conditions, exposed to flame and danger from height, to control and then extinguish this aggressive fire. An informative message (via radio) from the Incident Commander Richard Liron stated that " 4 firefighters wearing breathing apparatus using 3 hose reels, with a further 2 main jets, thermal image camera and ALP also in use"
With the flames controlled it became apparent that large areas of the building, including the auditorium (the theatre) were heavily smoke logged and the FRS cleared this utilising positive pressure ventilation (large fans). It is unknown at this time what extent of the building has been damaged by the smoke.
The States of Jersey Police and Ambulance were also in attendance during the incident in support of the FRS, their attendance greatly appreciated by the Incident Command team.
This was a serious fire affecting an important island resource. Which could have undoubtedly been catastrophic but for the effective response by the FRS with limited resources. With a small service such as the Jersey FRS, it is impossible to deploy large resources to the incident in a short period of time. However with effective management and effort from the actual fire crews, this incident is a success story in terms of stopping an unfortunate event from turning into a disaster.
Group Manager Martin Allix said " the fact that this serious fire was stopped is a credit to the initial actions of our first attending fire crews. It is also important that we acknowledge our retained service members who backed up that initial response and allowed us to maintain island wide cover whilst dealing with this incident".
Incident - Fire in Arts Centre
Friday 14th March 2008 - Time 0815hrs Update
Fire in roof of Arts Centre is now extinguished.
A positive ventilation fan is being used to clear smoke from building. The incident is being scaled down. One appliance and the Aerial Ladder Platform will remain at the incident damping down hot spots. A further detailed press release will follow when crews return to station.
Incident - Fire in Arts Centre
Friday 14th March 2008 - Time 0600hrs
On going incident - fire in roof of the Arts Centre, Phillip Street.
We were initially called to fire alarm actuating at the Arts Centre, Phillip Street at 06.01 this morning. A single fire crew was dispatched to the address. When they arrived there was smoke issuing from the roof. A further two fire appliances and the aerial ladder platform was requested plus the Fire Command Vehicle.
The last informative message from the incident 'fire in roof, 4 firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus, 3 hosereel jets, 2 main jets in use. The majority of the fire in the roof has now been extinguished and further investigation being made with thermal image camera'.
The Police and Ambulance are also in attendance.
Incident - Firefighters deal with flooding and damage caused by storm
Monday 10th March 2008 - Time 0800hrs till 1400hrs
Jerseys Firefighters have spent the day dealing with over 25 weather related incidents.
The day began with numerous calls to flooding caused by the high tide and strong winds which coincided at around 8 o’clock this morning. Most of the calls were to the St Clement and St Aubin areas of the Island.
Once the tide subsided the Island continued to be battered by ever increasing wind, and very quickly all the calls being received by our control room changed from flooding to roofs, gutters and hoardings being dislodged by the strong gusts of wind.
By midday crews had attended over 25 different incidents, retained crews were brought in to help deal with the mounting number of calls.
Station Manager Robin King said "In the morning we were knee deep in water pumping out houses and making their electrics safe and a couple of hours later we were faces with making properties safe because their roofs had been blown off".
This afternoon a women also had a lucky escape when her car was hit by a falling tree. The tree fell across the bonnet and came in through the windscreen narrowly missing her. A group of tradesmen working nearby quickly came to the ladies aid and set about cutting a clear path through the branches in order for the emergency services to get clear access and allow her to exit the vehicle safely. Although shocked from the experience she was not otherwise injured. Watch Manager Jim Dave expressed that the lady was very lucky and would like to praise the prompt action and help given by the workmen .
Incident - Kitchen Fire
Sunday 09th March 2008 - Time 1450hrs
Smoke detector alerts occupiers to a fire in their kitchen.
A working smoke detector gave the occupiers very early warning of a fire developing in their kitchen & they managed to exit the flat & alert the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service (SJFRS) from a neighbours property. The SJFRS were in attendance with two appliances within four minutes and found the flat was already smoke logged, two Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus removed a burning pan of fat & the smoke was cleared using a mechanical fan.
This incident shows the excellent value of a working smoke alarm & highlights the adage``GET OUT - GET THE FIRE SERVICE OUT & STAY OUT.
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Escape Plans
Incident - Utility room fire in large property
Friday 07th March 2008 - Time 2024hrs
The utility room of a large domestic property was totally destroyed when an oil-fired boiler caught fire.
A young family had a lucky escape last night when the utility room of their large domestic property was totally destroyed by fire.
The owner suddenly detected a strong smell of burning and alerted his wife and young son. He made his way to the annexe of the building to find that flames were visible from under the utility rooms' door. He immediately closed the door adjoining the annexe to the main house preventing the possible spread of fire and smoke and then proceeded to evacuate his family from the building.
The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service received the call at approximately 2024 hrs and two fire appliances with 9 firefighters were immediately deployed. A further appliance manned by retained officers also attended shortly after to increase the available resources at the incident.
The crews from Blue Watch were quickly on scene and were faced with large flames licking from the external door to the side of the house which were threatening the roof of the structure.
The fire was extinguished quickly by a high pressure hosereel and a medium jet as a total of 4 firefighters entered the burning room wearing breathing apparatus.
Initial investigations suspect that a faulty boiler was the cause of the fire.
Watch Manager Chris Love would like to praise the owners' quick thinking and actions. He says "Not only did the owner evacuate his family at the earliest opportunity, but by closing the door linking the annexe to the main house he prevented the unnecessary risk of fire and smoke spread throughout. It was also noted that the property was fitted with an acceptable number of working smoke alarms."
The SJFRS would like to remind everyone of the importance of closing doors to any risk areas within their own home. This would prevent the spread of fire, smoke and heat in the unfortunate event of a fire occurring. Members of the public should contact the SJFRS for any further advice and to apply for a free home fire safety check.
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Escape Plans
Incident - Diesel Tank Fire
Wednesday 05th March 2008 -
Time 1454hrs
A fire spreading from an above surface 9000ltr diesel tank located inside a farm building used for cow accommodation and the storage of feed and fertilizer.
The Fire and Rescue Service initially sent two fire appliances to deal with a reported diesel tank on fire at a farm in ST John. Initial indications of a large smoke plume in the sky around the Sion area confirmed the severity of the fire as the crews neared the scene.
The fire had injured two workers attempting to extinguish the blaze, destroyed the tank, spilt a significant quantity of diesel, destroyed part of the structure, threatened 150 cows, a group of heifers, and potentially polluted the surrounding water courses.
This fire provided considerable challenges for the Blue watch crew lead by Watch Manager Chris Love, because of the materials used in the farming environment.
The fire was quickly controlled using Breathing Apparatus crews and a water jet, before radiated heat and diesel could compromise a stack of fertilizer bags (each weighing 600kg). The initial crews were supported by a Water Carrier, specially trained hazardous materials officer and representatives from Environmental Services, Health Protection, States Police, Ambulance and Transport and Technical Services.
Other hazards and concerns for both occupants, neighbours and emergency services was the potential for asbestos release from the buildings damaged structure, with casualties fire and ambulance crews needing decontamination at the scene.
A part time retained crew stayed late into the evening to help clear up and contain the diesel spill, using sand bag barriers and environmental spill kits, preventing further contamination of the surrounding area.
The disruption to the farming and fire and rescue operations serve as a clear warning on storing fuel in 'unbunded' tanks and undertaking 'hot works' in areas containing a complex mix of hazardous materials.
This was a challenging event with the potential for something much more serious, using most of the Fire and Rescue Services immediate resources and stretching us to the limit, fortunately a fire in a flat in Victoria Street at the same time was small enough for our remaining crew and appliance to deal with quickly and safely. At this stage we had used every available resource and any further calls for help would have been very difficult to answer.
Key Links - What we do
Incident - Suspected fire onboard a 30 ft "Princess" motor vessel
Thursday 21st February 2008 - Time 1703hrs
A 30 foot "Princess" motor vessel reports a fire in its engine compartment on its return to the Island from Guernsey.
At approximately 1703hrs the Joint Control Centre received a call for a reported fire in the engine compartment of the above vessel. With two people on board the stricken vessel, the St Helier lifeboats were immediately despatched to assist in its safe return.
Upon its arrival into St Helier Harbour, the vessel was met by a fire appliance with a crew of five personnel waiting at Victoria Pier. Two firefighters wearing appropriate personal protective equipment and equipped with a thermal imaging camera and firefighting equipment boarded the 30 foot vessel.
The electrics and fuel lines were isolated and an inspection was carried out. It was discovered that a minor fire had occurred in the rear of the engine compartment but has subsequently extinguished itself.
Once safe to do so, the incident was handed over to a colleague from Jersey Coastguard.
The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service stated that had the vessel not been equipped with such a high standard of safety devices and navigational aids, the risk to the vessel and its crew members would have been considerably higher.
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Leisure Safety
Sea Rescue
Maritime Incident Response Group
Incident - House Fire in St Brelades
Monday 11th February 2008 - Time 2230hrs
A Mother and Daughter had a lucky escape when the mother smelt smoke on the first floor of their house. Upon investigation she found the kitchen to be heavily smoked logged. The Mother immediately alerted her daughter, evacuated the family home and called the Fire and Rescue Service.
Three appliances attended this incident, with a retained crew from the Western Fire Station being first in attendance, they quickly worked together to establish the cause of the fire and were backed up by two appliance from town, one of which had to be diverted from another call in St. Helier. On a happier note after initial cause for concern regarding the cat it was eventually found safe and well.
The Fire and Rescue Service would like to emphasise the importance of a working smoke alarm - the premises had two (2) Smoke Alarms, One (1) not working and the other disconnected - and for all occupants to have a plan in the event of fire, particularly were possible closing doors.
Station Manager Marc Le Cornu said "We have attended numerous incidents involving dishwashers catching fire and would therefore like to advise people not to put their dishwashers on before they go to bed or when they are going out. If you must put your dishwasher on at night please ensure you have a smoke alarm that works and an escape plan for how to get out in the event of a fire."
Key Links - Smoke Alarms
Electrical Safety
Escape Plans
Incident - Flooding
Monday 11th February 2008 - Time 2200hrs
A number of domestic properties and a restaurant damaged by flooding.
The Fire and Rescue Service attended a flooding call in St.Helier which had damaged a number of flats and a Restaurant. Occupiers from one of the flats were away from their property when water from a broken valve / burst pipe went un-noticed. The water leaked through their floor and caused part of the ceiling of the flat below to collapse, the water then made its way down through their floor and in to the restaurant below affecting their electrics. Water works were in attendance quickly and the Jersey Electricity Company were called to check the electrics throughout the building.
Flooding's can be distressing but they also have their own dangers such as building collapse also if the water comes in to contact with electrical items there is a risk of electrocution. If in doubt contact a qualified electrician.
National Chip Week 11th-17th February 2008
Switching to Oven Chips could Save your LIFE.
The States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service is supporting National Chip Week (11th – 17th February 2008) by urging people to cook chips safely.
The Fire and Rescue Service attended around a dozen chip pan fires locally over the past year and in the UK around 6,900 chip pan fires resulted in 24 deaths with nearly 2,500 injuries in 2005, so it is vital to reduce fire hazards and cook safely.
The Service's new Community Safety Officer Marc Le Cornu said: "We are urging local residents not to use traditional chip pans as they can cause fatal fires. There are other options for cooking chips, so keep you and your family safe and opt for an alternative."
Here are some alternative ways to enjoy chips:
• Choose oven chips instead. Not only are they safer to cook but they’re lower in fat too.
• Microwave them. It’s quick, easy and they taste just as good.
• Instead of cooking chips at home, why not buy a portion of chips from the local chip shop?
• Buy an electric deep fryer and ditch the chip pan. They are safer to use and look better in the kitchen!
Station Manager Le Cornu added "Did you know that a small bar of chocolate contains double the fat of a portion of oven chips, so not only are you less likely to have a fire you will be healthier at the same time! However, if you must cook chips in a traditional chip pan, you should follow these fire safety tips - not just during National Chip Week but all year round:
• Don’t overfill a chip pan with oil – never fill it more than one-third full
• Don’t cook after drinking alcohol
• Don’t leave the chip pan unattended
• Don’t cook after drinking alcohol
• Don’t take risks by tackling a fire. Get out, stay out and dial 999
• Don’t throw water on a chip pan fire
• In the event of a fire, have an escape route in place
• Get a 10-year battery smoke alarm and test it regularly."
Station Manager Le Cornu also added "Don't forget that we provide free home fire safety checks, where firefighters will visit your home and give advice on where to position smoke alarms, making an escape plan and provide other safety advice. Included in these visits are free smoke alarms where needed. If you would like to receive a free home fire safety check then contact 445906.
Incident - Personnel from the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service attended the Warwickshire Firefighter Memorial Service at Coventry Cathedral.
Personnel from the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service attended the memorial service at Coventry Cathedral last Friday to pay their respects to the four Firefighters who tragically lost their lives fighting a warehouse blaze in Warwickshire.
Chief Fire Officer Mark James said "the incident in Warwickshire was such a terrible tragedy and it really struck a chord with the firefighters here in Jersey. I am honoured to have attended such a moving memorial to represent the Service and to pay our respects to the brave Firefighters who sadly lost their lives."
Chief Fire Officer Mark James, Crew Manager Richard Ryan and Retained Crew Manager Andrew Garnier were among thousands of firefighters from all over the United Kingdom who attended the memorial service to remember firefighters Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, and Ian Reid, 44, who died as the result of the fire in Atherstone-on-Stour, Warwickshire on 2 November 2007.
During the Memorial Service Crew Manager Andrew Garnier carried the States of Jersey Fire and Rescue Service Standard forming a Guard of Honour outside the cathedral with standard bearers from other UK Fire & Rescue Services.
Last year, Crew Manager Richard Ryan organised a firefighter car wash day at the Fire Station in Rouge Bouillon. On the 18th November 2007, firefighters washed 255 vehicles during the 7 hour marathon car wash. Supported by RBS International they raised over £10,000 for the Warwickshire Firefighters Families Fund.
Incident - Chip Pan Fire in High Rise
Saturday 26th January 2008 - Time 2300hrs
An unattended chip pan caused a fire in a high rise flat this resulted in minor smoke damage to a flat but more importantly smoke inhalation to the male occupant.
The Fire and Rescue Service were called to a reported fire in a high rise flat at le Marais at approximately 2255hrs Saturday 26th of January 2008, 2 fire appliances were immediately dispatched and arrived at the scene within minutes. Paramedics were already in attendance and had removed a male casualty suffering from smoke inhalation. The fire had been extinguished and the flat was inspected to insure that the fire had not spread internally, 2 fire fighters wearing breathing apparatus checked the flat and ventilated it using a large fan whilst other fire fighters assisted the paramedics with the casualty.
We would like to remind the public that cooking should not be left un-attended and that thermostatic controlled chip fryers should be used instead of chip pans. In this instance a neighbour heard the flats smoke alarm and called the fire service, this shows that a working smoke alarm can mean the difference between life or death, had the occupant not had a working smoke alarm this incident could have had a different outcome.
Key Links - Chip Pan Safety
Dangerous Mistakes
Smoke Alarms
Kitchen Safety
Incident - Fire in Church
Saturday 12th January 2008 - Time 2346hrs
The States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service were dispatched to a fire at Wesley Street Methodist Church at 23.46. On arrival it was quite evident that the fire had taken hold and spread throughout the building. The initial assessment by Watch Manager Chris Love led to him immediately requesting additional fire appliances and the Aerial Ladder Platform. Retained firefighters from both St. Helier Headquarters and the Western Fire Station were summoned and despatched to the scene of operations where they joined their fellow wholetime colleagues from Blue Watch in firefighting operations. Off duty wholetime firefighters were also recalled to duty in order to ensure there were sufficient crews to not only fight the fire, but to ensure fire cover for the island was maintained.
At the height of operations there was a total of 4 fire appliances, including the fire appliance from the Western Fire Station, in addition to the Aerial Ladder Platform. There were a total of 28 firefighters at the scene with an additional 16 on stand by at Headquarters.
Due to the development and ferocity of the fire from the early stages, the safety of the firefighting crews was paramount, which led to the fire being fought externally from 4 sides. Station Manager Jason Masterman stated, "Access was extremely difficult as we believe the building had been secured and boarded up for a number of years. There were initial concerns for the adjacent buildings and from an early stage the Police were of great assistance by advising residents of nearby properties to close all windows and prepare to be evacuated should the need arise." He went on to say, "By utilising the Aerial Ladder Platform as a vehicle by which we can apply large volumes of water to otherwise inaccessible areas, our difficult task of containing the fire and protecting the adjoining properties, was made a lot easier. This vehicle, along with its highly skilled operators successfully performed a magnificent job.
Firefighters will remain at the scene throughout the weekend to damp down the area. Fire Investigators will work alongside the Police to commence a detailed investigation into the cause of the fire, not before the safety of the structure has been assessed by qualified engineers.
A joint investigation into the cause of fire at the derelict Methodist Church, Wesley Street is now being undertaken by the States of Jersey Fire & Rescue Service and the States of Jersey Police. Fire Investigation Officer Station Manager Jason Masterman said 'Our investigation is being hampered by the amount of damage caused to the church by the fire. The entire contents has been completely destroyed by fire. The roof and all the floors have collapsed into the basement of the church making the remaining structure of the church unstable. The Town Surveyor has been called in to assess the stability of the structure and decide whether it will need demolishing'.
The cause of the fire is still unknown and the investigation will be on-going.
Archived Fire Press Releases.
01st June 2007 - 31st December 2007 
01st January 2007 - 31st May 2007
14th July 2005 - 31st December 2006
04th April 2003 - 22nd November 2005
