Weather results in high volume of calls

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service received 126 calls from 12pm to 3pm on Sunday, November 29, as the county was hit by high winds and heavy rain.

Resources were widely deployed across the region as crews responded to a range of incidents including fallen trees which had landed on properties and vehicles, damaged buildings, dislodged chimney stacks and road blockages.

The roof of shops on Moorfield Avenue in Denton was blown off. The premises were evacuated as fire crews worked to make the area safe and cordons were put in place.

At Irlam Square, in Salford, a 50ft tree fell onto a block of flats. Fire crews treated one woman for shock and worked with the local authority to evacuate the building and make it safe.

A number of chimney stacks were damaged or dislodged by the high winds, requiring firefighters to remove them in a number of cases to prevent further danger to the public.

David Acton, chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “The stormy weather has stretched the fire service to the limit and we have been dealing with the various incidents as quickly as we can. Our firefighters and support staff have done an excellent job in extremely difficult conditions.

“The storms have highlighted how we need to maintain our resilience and any further decrease in the numbers of firefighters would have a serious impact on the safety of the people of Greater Manchester.

“I would like to reassure the public that despite the severe pressure on our services currently, we will respond to calls as quickly as we can. If you do not require assistance immediately, please be patient as we prioritise emergency calls.”

19/12/2018 13:47 PM