Staner Court, Manston Road, Ramsgate.

Incident number 483

3rd July 2001

All comments/observations are made with the benefit of hindsight and non-

attendance at incident

Construction

• Constructed in 1964

• 15 Floors

• 6 flats per floor

• 90 dwellings /occupancy 230

• 4” Dry riser

Most likely flat

• Time of call 1104hrs from auto dialler• One pump sent due to daytime hours• Control were dealing with 10 pump relief for

Canterbury pub fire• East Division LSDG meeting going on at

Canterbury• Ramsgate RPL at Canterbury on standby• Thanet initial pump 4 riders

En route smoke visible swirling around at mid height, indicating a window open or broken.

Call to control confirming fire full PDA required, 3 pumps and a height vehicle.

• On arrival Resident told Sub O told fire on 5th floor

• Another resident said the fire was on the 10th floor

• Proceeded up stairs and searched from 5th floor

Equipment

• Fire ground radio

• 2 x BA

• BAECO Board

• 2 x 45mm hose & branch

• Breaking in tools

Crew reached 9th floor and felt that it was the fire floor, but could not see any obvious signs of fire, apart from faint smell of burning and limited smoke in the area.

Sub O checked 10th floor then returned.

Jet set into dry riser and water on. Pump operator has charged dry riser and then set into hydrant.

Hydrant defective and unable to turn on, next hydrant 3 lengths away.

Remember crew of 4!

BA crew approach door to flat 57 from staircase lobby and attempt entry. First attempt door opens, forcibly closed, second attempt door remains fully opens and debris falls into doorway preventing closure.

Serious fire within flat and gas cooling undertaken by BA team, ineffective. Team is driven back by heat & branch left in doorway. BA crew rapid retreat to staircase doorway and find it difficult to open.

Heat & smoke in stairwell has driven Sub O downstairs within the smoke.

On reaching 5th floor he ran onto floor level, he grabs BA team, whose stage 2’s are hot to touch.

TL now in attendance.

No communication with ground floor, pump operator sees smoke issue from ground floor entrance.

Second pump Sandwich now in attendance.

Make pumps 10, 5 mins later make pumps 15.

Additional pumps arriving unable to make contact with first crew, BA teams ascend stairway into smoke, hot water running down staircase and into lift from burnt hose line.

First crew unable to get back into stair case and consider using lift.

On calling lift discover it had two inches of hot water in it.

Eventually crews make it to ground floor.

Make pumps 20

Later on

• Bridgehead established on 8th floor• RAF Sea King used• Silver control established - Tri service• Triage reception set up• Staging points for relaying resources• Paramedic stationed at half way point• Contractors working on the roof

Points to consider

• Water supply

• Opening flat door priority

• Other aggressive firefighting tactics