Air-rifle attack on fire crew tackling scrapyard blaze

Reporter: Beatriz Ayala
Date online: 17/06/2009

A FIRE-FIGHTER was shot at while tackling a 60-vehicle blaze in a scrapyard at Broadbent Road, Watersheddings, yesterday.

A total of 20 officers from Chadderton, Hollins, Mossley and Ashton stations were called to Broadbent Autos at 6.30pm.

Youths with petrol and matches are believed to have caused the blaze in the yard, resulting in 60 vehicles, in the process of being stripped for parts, going up in flames.

A plume of black smoke could be seen for miles and crews feared it was heading towards Shaw.

The Emergency Planning Unit was notified but no further action was needed.

Crews spent four hours at the scene controlling the fire which did not spread and there was no injuries.

It was while clearing up at 10.30pm that a fire-fighter was shot at by a youth with an air rifle.

He narrowly avoided injury by ducking out of the way and the pellet hit the vehicle.

A spokesman said: “We are doing a job serving the public and certainly not there to be abused by certain members of the public.”