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Answers demanded over time firefighters took to reach Thurso garage blaze





Thurso fire station
Thurso fire station

A CAITHNESS councillor is waiting to hear the result of an investigation into claims firefighters were delayed by up to half-an-hour when responding to reports of a blaze at a commercial garage – located just 100 metres from the fire station.

The alarm was raised after an acetylene gas cylinder ignited at McConechy’s garage in Millbank Road. However, it is claimed there was a mix-up about where the fire actually was and, as a result, local firefighters were not called out until 20-30 minutes later.

The control room for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) is now based in Dundee, a move which has attracted widespread criticism over fears people answering the phones there do not have a good grasp of the geography of the Highlands, particularly its more remote parts.

Highland councillorDonnie Mackay (Thurso) wrote to Assistant Chief Officer (ACO) Lewis Ramsay about how long it took crews to respond, saying a delay could have had serious consequences.

He said: “If the gas cylinder had blown up, it could have been very dangerous and led to the garage being evacuated along with Tesco, which is nearby, as well as other properties. If these cylinders blow, they could cut someone in half.”

He blames the centralisation of the control room for what he believes was an administrative hold-up in responding to the fire.

Mr Mackay has still to receive the findings of an investigation into the alleged delay but hopes “lessons have been learned” from the incident at McConechy’s, which happened around five weeks ago.

Mr Ramsay, SFRS director of response and resilience, wrote back to Mr Mackay last week to say an investigation was being carried out, and he would be happy to discuss its findings.

A SFRS spokesman yesterday said Mr Ramsay wrote to Mr Mackay following “a specific request raised at a meeting of Highland Council in Inverness on 9 February.”

While the spokesman made no reference to the investigation, he added: “There is absolutely no truth in this claim and ACO Ramsay will be confirming this in writing to Councillor Mackay in due course.”

Thurso community councillor and local businessman Colin Johnston, who owns the nearby County Garage, claims there was a delay of between 20 and 30 minutes before the Thurso fire crew was called out. His garage is about 50 metres from McConechy’s, which is also a tyre and auto centre.

Part of the investigation centres on a suggestion that the Dundee control room initially thought the fire was in the city’s Thurso Crescent and only later realised it was in the town of Thurso.

Mr Johnston said: “The local guys did an excellent job when they came out and were on the ball. The delay in getting the right address was the problem. The control room in Inverness was quite good but I am not happy with it going to Dundee. They don’t know where Thurso is.”

He added: “Acetylene cylinders are potentially dangerous and have to be treated with respect. They can go off like a bomb. There are very explosive if they do go off.”


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