Video: Dramatic collapse caught on camera

Date published: 07 June 2011

Dramatic footage showing a fire-fighter narrowly escaping death or serious injury as the front of a derelict house collapsed, almost on top of him, has been released.

But 43-year-old Ashton Fire Station Watch Officer, Paul Anderson, from Oldham, walked away without a scratch!

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said the incident in Smallbridge, Rochdale, in September last year was being released as part of health and safety training for its staff and other fire and rescue services in the UK.

The film was caught by a CCTV camera on a fire engine attending the scene.

County Fire Officer and Chief Executive Steve McGuirk said the footage provided terrifying viewing for the service, who would use it as a training example to ensure crew were more aware of the dangers.

He added: “The footage is unbelievable. Our crew and the police are diligently attending this incident, where a derelict property is on fire. But who could have predicted the front of the house would collapse in this way.

“It is frighteningly close and this fire-fighter could so easily have been killed. It’s a powerful example of how our fire-fighters put themselves at risk each and every day to keep people across Greater Manchester safe.”

The footage will now form part of the service’s operational assurance processes and used to make fire fighters aware of the potential risks of similar incidents.