Rescue teams play out tunnel-collapse drama

THE rescue workers inside the tunnel, in which a cave-in had been staged

OLDHAM was at the centre of a massive rescue operation with dozens of firefighters took part in a vital training exercise.

Eighty people including UK Search and Rescue teams from Manchester, Lancashire and Sellafield and 50 local fire fighters descended on Mumps where a railway tunnel was transformed into a disaster area.

The large-scale multi-agency search and rescue training exercise involved a simulated tunnel collapse with rescuers tasked with saving two trapped victims.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service carry out around four such training exercises every year in the region. They utilised the opportunity of Oldham’s railway line being shut before being replaced by tram tracks.

With workers soon to be tasked with huge engineering work to bring Metrolink through Oldham such a scenario could become all too real — though it’s hoped it would never happen.

Ten fire engines and special appliances, including an enhanced rescue unit, an incident command unit and four urban search and rescue vehicles turned an area at the rear of the Alexandra Retail Park into an emergency base.

They were told two people were missing in the long tunnel, which runs under the King Street roundabout. Human error had caused a collapse after they had taken out too many bricks that they were replacing.

Organisers created two areas within the tunnel, covered in bricks, wood and steel beams, to simulate the collapse.

Three fire engines and an operational support unit arrived first and carried out a risk assessment before devising a plan.

They requested the other vehicles and kit to attend.

Inside the tunnel specialist search and rescue teams made the area safe, checking on gas levels, carrying out safety checks and setting up lights to illuminate the pitch-black tunnel before constructing supports to prop up the tunnel walls.

Fire crews then carried out the “rescues”.

Oldham Mountain Rescue Team was on hand to render first aid to the “casualties”‚ and transport them from the tunnel. After the successful conclusion a debrief was held in which those taking part felt they had benefited in their specialist areas and welcomed the opportunity to work together and learn from each other,

They also felt it was an excellent opportunity to put emergency measures in place, including putting the Royal Oldham Hospital on standby, arranging a suitable landing area for a helicopter and catering for traffic congestion.

Fire and Rescue Service media liaison officer Jon Aspinall said the exercise had been very important and was created to be as realistic as possible.

He added: “Exercises such as this form part of a training programme, alongside many other things, and are programmed on a regular basis, incorporating all of the boroughs in Greater Manchester to ensure that the whole service is sufficiently trained and prepared.

“These large-scale training exercises enable our crews to perfect the skills that they learn as part of the role as modern firefighters.

“It also enables us to practice working with specialist teams and partner agencies so that if any major incident occurs we can work efficiently and effectively to resolve any challenge we may face in the future.”

Fire chiefs have established partnerships with local councils, police and other partners to hold meetings to address issues.

They liaised with Oldham Council, GMPTE and construction company Laing O’Rourke, which is working on Metrolink, to organise the exercise. The Salvation Army also helped in providing food and refreshments to crews.