Activity Report - Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service ...

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O P E R A T I O N A L I N C I D E N T S
DEVESTATING EXPLOSION IN OLDHAM
CREWS faced scenes of devastation when
they turned out to an explosion in Oldham –
the biggest incident for Greater Manchester
Fire and Rescue Service since the Irlam gas
blast.
Firefighters from fire stations across the
service dealt with the incident and its
aftermath, which saw hundreds of people
evacuated from their homes.
Sadly, the blast killed a two-year-old boy and
injured others, attracting media attention from
across the world.
The initial call came into GMFRS at 11.15am
on Tuesday, June 26, to a suspected gas
explosion in the Buckley Street area of Shaw.
Hours were spent searching the debris of
what had been four terraced houses just that
morning, with the Urban Search and Rescue
Team leading the efforts.
the crowds the dangers of chip pans by
setting fire to one in a special unit.
It was also an opportunity to highlight to the
public, via the media, the effectiveness of
sprinklers which could have saved both lives if
they had been installed.
LITTLEBOROUGH MILL FIRE
FIREFIGHTERS tackled a huge fire involving
silos of solvents at a factory in Littleborough.
People in the area were advised via social
media, radio and the GMFRS website to keep
their doors and windows shut and drivers
were advised that road closures were in
place.
GMFRS received a number of calls reporting a
fire at a roofing products mill on Calderbrook
DEvEStAtINGEXPLOSIONINOLDHAM
The investigation into the cause of the blast is
still underway.
GORTON FATAL CHIP PAN FIRE
A MAN died following a chip pan fire in
Gorton after a smoke alarm was removed.
Firefighters from Gorton and Ashton fire
stations were called to a flat on Reddish Lane
at 6.30pm on Friday, June 1.
Firefighters found that there had been a fire
but it was out by the time they arrived.
A 29-year-old man, who had been in the flat,
was found dead inside the flat.
The flat had, at some point, been fitted with
smoke alarms but they had been taken down.
As a result of the incident, a demonstration
was set up at Whitehill Fire Station's open day
on June 3 where firefighters and staff showed
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