Fire chief’s blast for ‘stupid’ arsonists

Boarded-up houses were real danger

A FIRE chief has attacked arsonists for putting the lives of both emergency crews and members of the public at risk by their stupidity.

Watch Commander Mark Williams, from Oldham fire station, hit out at the culprits after he had to send firefighters into a dangerous burning building to tackle a blaze which ripped through the attic space of five properties.

Emergency services were called out to Abbotsford Road, Oldham, shortly after 7pm on Saturday to find arsonists had started a fire in a derelict terrace house. Flames had spread to the roof space and travelled through the roof spaces of adjoining properties.

Mr Williams said: “The houses were boarded up ready for demolition.

“The structures had deteriorated to such an extent we had to send firefighters into a place which potentially could have caused them injury.

“Through the stupidity of the people who started the fire we had to put our firefighters into a dangerous situation. We would normally fight fires in derelict properties from the outside, but we had to go in and fight this fire from within the loft space to stop it spreading towards houses that were occupied.”

Besides the risk to firefighters, Mr Williams explained the incident kept three fire engines from both Oldham and Chadderton tied up for around two hours during the busiest period for the fire and rescue service.

Three pumps, an aerial appliance, two jets and four breathing apparatus were used by emergency crews, and Mr Williams added: “It was a massive drain on resources taking us across the 8pm period when incidents peak for the fire brigade.

“We could have been somewhere else dealing with proper incidents and not derelict properties, but someone’s stupidity prevented us doing so.”