London's biggest Fire in over 40 years.

[SteveDude]

Crews were called to a fire on a building site early this morning in Peckham, South London which is we think the largest fire in the memory of serving LFB personnel, possibly the largest since the Eldon Street Fire in the 1960's.

The fire was in a four storey wooden framed apartment block under construction that was surrounded by existing properties. The fire was well established upon arrival of the first crews and spread to several more buildings. The fire was a 30 Pump job, although we have 30 Pump Fires a couple of times per year, no one can recall a fire involving so much property. The 30 Pump attendance was augmented by another 10 Pump 'immediate relief' essentially making it a 40 Pump Fire.

'Stop' Message below

SUP~STOP FROM ASST COMMISSIONER TUREK
A BUILDING SITE COVERING AN AREA OF APPROX 300 X 300FT, 100% D X F
A BLOCK OF MAISONETTES OF 4 FLOORS, 210 X 60FT 100% D X F, WHOLE OF ROOF OFF
A BLOCK OF MAISONETTES OF 4 FLOORS, 210 X 60FT, 50% D X F AND 25% OF ROOF OFF
A BLOCK OF MAISONETTES OF 4 FLOORS, 130 X 50FT, 5% OF GROUND, FIRST AND SECOND FLOORS DXF
A BLOCK OF MAISONETTES OF 4 FLOORS, 130 X 50FT, 5% OF SECOND FLOOR D X F
A PUBLIC HOUSE OF 2 FLOORS AND BASEMENT, 75 X 30FT, 100% D X F, WHOLE OF ROOF OFF
SINGLE STOREY COMMUNITY CENTRE, 75 X 45FT, 10% D X F
14 MOTOR VEHICLES AND 1 MECHANICAL DIGGER D X F
2 X 50KG PROPANE CYLINDERS EXPLODED
BA MAIN CONTROL, 4 X AERIAL MONITORS, 3 X GROUND MONITORS, 10 HAND HELD JETS, TIC
APPROX 310 PERSONS EVACUATED TO 3 WELFARE CENTRES
4 FEMALES REMOVED BY LAS TO HOSPITAL AND 2 MALE POLICE OFFICERS REMOVED BY LAS - ALL SUFFERING SMOKE INHALATION
ALL PERSONS NOT YET ACCOUNTED FOR
SALVAGE AND VENTILATION OPERATIONS BEING CARRIED OUT
SAAC TACTICAL MODE OSCAR + ~~

That is a lot of fire in anyone's book.

BBC London News

[FWDbuff]

Bloody Hell!

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Just read this and saw some footage over at IACOJ ... Martinm was asking for you, Steve.

Hope everyone continues to stay safe.

[SteveDude]

I am off on leave.... I wouldn't have been scheduled on duty overnight, but would probably have picked up a relief onto the job today.

There was also an 8 Pump Fire going on in a factory in West London, so the Boys and Girls had a night of it.

[neiowa]

A BUILDING SITE COVERING AN AREA OF APPROX 300 X 300FT, 100% D X F
..

4 X AERIAL MONITORS, 3 X GROUND MONITORS, 10 HAND HELD JETS

Jet is a nozzle?

Only 4 aerials? Only 3x monitors? Different than a US response.

I see "under construction". You have the ELF wackos & Luddites active in the UK?

[IronsMan53]

I see "under construction". You have the ELF wackos & Luddites active in the UK?

Or a developer in over his head.

[SteveDude]

A BUILDING SITE COVERING AN AREA OF APPROX 300 X 300FT, 100% D X F
..

4 X AERIAL MONITORS, 3 X GROUND MONITORS, 10 HAND HELD JETS

Jet is a nozzle?

Only 4 aerials? Only 3x monitors? Different than a US response.

I see "under construction". You have the ELF wackos & Luddites active in the UK?

Yup,
Much less water... always have managed with much less water... especially when we had most of the City alight, a low tide on the Thames and every water main blown by German Bombs.

Seriously though, we have nothing like the high volume water mains you have in US Cities. Our water Mains are victorian and failing fast... there is an ongoing programme to replace them, but in a City that is 620 square miles that is a hell of a lot of roads that need digging up. Consequently mains pressure is low to reduce the risk of bursts.

Anything more than an Aerial Monitor and a couple of 2.75" handlines and we often have to consider a Hoselayer running a LD supply from other mains in the area. Usually a big main road with a 36" water main, or get a Hiogh Volume Pump to draft from an open supply and pump it through 5" hose to the job.

[Tooanfrom]

Ah,Stevie--the good old days!

[nameless]

so how many pumps do you send on a typical structure fire? Obviously 30 pumps is a lot, I'm just curious how that would relate to the U.S. way of describing it in terms of alarms.

[SteveDude]

The inital call for a property fire will attract a two Pump attendance. If the job is receiving multiple calls an additional couple of Pumps will be ordered along with a Chief and a Command Unit.

Using example sof a few jobs I've been on in recent times I'll try to make some comparisons for you...

A large house well involved or a decent domestic high rise job will usually be a 6 Pump Fire.

A small factory unit or a complex high rise is a good example of an 8 Pump Fire.

10 Pumps would be typical of a row of stores with property above involved in a fire or a fire in a small single storey school.

a decent size warehouse fire or a fire in a complex commercial building or one invoilving a large church with the roof on fire would be typical of a 15-20 Pump Fire.

Things such as large fires in Hospitals, refinery fires*, a department store are in the 25-30 Pump region.

The above doesn't take account of the number of Aerials or Rescue untis required which will also be ordered on a ad-hoc basis as they are required.

Hope this helps!



* The largest Fire in the UK (and possibly Europe) since the war was at the Buncefiled Oil Terminal in Hertfordshire in 2005. The intial fire had over 100 Pumps from Hertfordshire, London, Essex and other Brigades attending. During the following days the fire was brought under control using equipment and Crews from the UK's other large petrochemical sites assisted by Fire Crews from the surrounding counties.

[johnny46]

London's somewhere in Europe, right?

[BryanLoader]

London's somewhere in Europe, right?

Just a suggestion Johnny, but don't come to England and state something like that on Trafalgar Square. It may be perceived by some to be akin to someone from NYC going to Texas and suggesting they tear down that Alamo thingy and get some urban renewal going.

[Rice09]

London's somewhere in Europe, right?

Nice. Lol!

[islandfire03]

London's somewhere in Europe, right?

naw" it's in ontario! about halfway across the 401

[nameless]

The inital call for a property fire will attract a two Pump attendance. If the job is receiving multiple calls an additional couple of Pumps will be ordered along with a Chief and a Command Unit.

Using example sof a few jobs I've been on in recent times I'll try to make some comparisons for you...

A large house well involved or a decent domestic high rise job will usually be a 6 Pump Fire.

A small factory unit or a complex high rise is a good example of an 8 Pump Fire.

10 Pumps would be typical of a row of stores with property above involved in a fire or a fire in a small single storey school.

a decent size warehouse fire or a fire in a complex commercial building or one invoilving a large church with the roof on fire would be typical of a 15-20 Pump Fire.

Things such as large fires in Hospitals, refinery fires*, a department store are in the 25-30 Pump region.

The above doesn't take account of the number of Aerials or Rescue untis required which will also be ordered on a ad-hoc basis as they are required.

Hope this helps!



* The largest Fire in the UK (and possibly Europe) since the war was at the Buncefiled Oil Terminal in Hertfordshire in 2005. The intial fire had over 100 Pumps from Hertfordshire, London, Essex and other Brigades attending. During the following days the fire was brought under control using equipment and Crews from the UK's other large petrochemical sites assisted by Fire Crews from the surrounding counties.

that explanation definitely helps me understand the difference between how we dispatch, but its still a bit confusing.

so in london if someone calls in a fire aerials and rescues aren't on the initial alarm?

[BryanLoader]

that explanation definitely helps me understand the difference between how we dispatch, but its still a bit confusing.

so in london if someone calls in a fire aerials and rescues aren't on the initial alarm?

Its similar in some areas here. A single family home may only get 2 pumpers, possibly a rescue or aerial mainly for manpower plus an ambulance. Very dependent on the area.

[SteveDude]

Nameless,
Yes you are right although it isn't that clear cut. We only use aerials for what they are... High reach rescue ladder or platform/water towers, therefore without the specific engine/truck way of working this negates the need for so many of them. Although I am the first to admit we now have way too few... We had 25 in London (out of 114 Stations) when I joined, that is now shockingly down to 11)

Pretty much most of Central London will attract a 3 Pump 1 aerial initial call. But the vast majority of London... the Inner city areas and suburbs they are on request only.

As for the Rescue's... we actually have a lot of these compared to other Big Cities... 16 in LFB. And I am not talking some Rescue/Ambulance thing, I mean proper Heavy Rescues with tons of cutting gear, line rescue, boat, Hazmat, CBRN eqpt. Although they are not on any intial call to fires, they will go on a 'make up' (further alarm) job at 6 Pumps. And then we'll often operate with two or more... for example, the tragic apartment block fire in July of this year where 6 people died... this was an 18 Pump Fire with 2 aerials but 9 Rescue's due to the requirement for EDBA which they carry.

These things are on the inital call to most special services though... such as MVA's, Persons trapped, Hazmat's, suspicious packages and so on.

Anymore questions feel free to PM me mate, I don't think discussions about the UK Fire Service/The UK in general are always that warmly received on here... thus I don't post often

[gunnyv]

Anymore questions feel free to PM me mate, I don't think discussions about the UK Fire Service/The UK in general are always that warmly received on here... thus I don't post often

SteveDude,

I would bet there are plenty of lurkers like me who really enjoy reading about how you guys work. I have thoroughly enjoyed the posts by you and martinm. Don't let a couple of "wankers" scare you off.

[len1582]

SteveDude,

I would bet there are plenty of lurkers like me who really enjoy reading about how you guys work. I have thoroughly enjoyed the posts by you and martinm. Don't let a couple of "wankers" scare you off.

I agree 100%. If someone isn't interested in something they don't have to read it. But many of us here like reading about something different and new. Keep it up Steve.

[VinnieB]

SteveDude,

I would bet there are plenty of lurkers like me who really enjoy reading about how you guys work. I have thoroughly enjoyed the posts by you and martinm. Don't let a couple of "wankers" scare you off.

Agreed. I too enjoy reading about the UK Fire Service. I always talk to Brothers from across the pond when they stop by our quarters.....just as long as they are MILLWALL fans!!!!!