Mock nightclub fire will test Gloucester

A simulation exercise is due to be held in Gloucestershire this week to test the local fire brigade's incident response time.

On Tuesday (13th December), 15 fire engines and 100 firefighters from Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service (GFRS) will tackle a mock blaze at the Registry nightclub.

The venue will be full of "volunteer clubbers", allowing GFRS to develop and improve firefighting and searching skills under controlled conditions.

Jon Hall, Gloucestershire's chief fire officer said: "This is a valuable opportunity for us to practice firefighting on a large scale under testing conditions.

"This scale of exercise is also a very public demonstration to the community we serve that we are a highly-professional organisation who are here to protect them whenever they need

us."

Local police, paramedics and emergency planners will also be involved in the exercise. Although simulated fires are often held on a small scale, fire services across the country will rarely

have the opportunity to do so on such a large scale.