Forty firemen fight grass blaze

Firemen fought a major blaze in grass and woodland at Brushes Clough in Shaw for 31/2 hours on Friday night.

The major operation involved 40 fire-fighters, five fire engines, and a specialist four-wheel drive machine from Bolton.

A hoax call to the ambulance service saying a 12-year-old boy had fallen into the near-by Pingot Quarry also brought out mountain rescue and ambulance teams, alongside fire-fighters.

Denzil Broadhurst, from Oldham Mountain Rescue Team, said police discovered a similar call had been made from the same mobile phone number alleging the same thing had happened a few days before, and concluded it was a hoax.

He added: “We searched for about an hour and a half but nothing was found.” Bill Gibbon, Chadderton fire station watch commander, said the fire was mainly in grassland but also affected some trees.

He added: “We spent about 31/2 hours there. The fire was about a mile uphill and we had to carry the beaters and water.

“We also had to protect a communications mast up there, and it was quite a complex operation. The lads who were putting the fire out were exhausted.

“We checked again at 5.30am on Saturday to make sure it was completely out.”

Firemen from Oldham were also called out to a grass fire in the quarry at Cooper Street, Springhead, on Friday night.