HSE criticises service after four die in blaze
January 16, 2008
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service with an improvement notice after a warehouse fire in November claimed the lives of four firefighters.
Ashley Stephens, 20, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, John Averis, 27, and Ian Reid, 44, died when trying to tackle the blaze at the vegetable-packing plant in Atherstone on Stour on November 2nd.
The HSE's investigation has found that the men were not provided with enough information before attending the scene.
Alan Craddock, head of operations for HSE in the Midlands, said: "The current arrangements employed by the authority do not comply with the statutory duties to provide its firefighters with all the information they should have to assist them in making the appropriate decisions when attending a fire."
The fire service has now four months in which to improve its arrangements for distributing information relating to an incident such as locality and the nature of any hazards involved.
Figures from the HSE show that 1,518 accidents related to Fire service activities occurred between 2004 and 2005.
Find out more about Fire Safety training
Ashley Stephens, 20, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, John Averis, 27, and Ian Reid, 44, died when trying to tackle the blaze at the vegetable-packing plant in Atherstone on Stour on November 2nd.
The HSE's investigation has found that the men were not provided with enough information before attending the scene.
Alan Craddock, head of operations for HSE in the Midlands, said: "The current arrangements employed by the authority do not comply with the statutory duties to provide its firefighters with all the information they should have to assist them in making the appropriate decisions when attending a fire."
The fire service has now four months in which to improve its arrangements for distributing information relating to an incident such as locality and the nature of any hazards involved.
Figures from the HSE show that 1,518 accidents related to Fire service activities occurred between 2004 and 2005.
Find out more about Fire Safety training
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