A Welsh businessman has been jailed for two-and-a-half years after he was found to have provided substandard gas for use in airline fire extinguishers. More than 15,000 fire extinguishers had to be removed from planes across the world after Eric Andrew Lyon's company Lyontech Engineering Ltd supplied impure halon gas to fire extinguisher manufacturers between 2007 and 2009. The gas is required to be 99 per cent pure but it was found Mr Lyon faked certificates and provided some halon gas which was just 60 per cent. Mr Lyon, of Oakmount House near Mold, admitted 25 fraud offences following the probe by the CAA, the European Aircraft Safety Agency and the Federal Agency in America.

Prosecutor Wyn Lloyd Jones told the court that, although Lyon admitted to the £390,000 fraud, the seriousness of the case outweighed the value. He said: "There was a substantial breach of trust. There was at the very least a real risk that public safety could have been compromised. The motive was greed and profit." Guidelines for aircraft fire extinguishers in the UK, Europe and the US have been changed to ensure a similar incident does not occur again.

It was a busy start to 2012 for Active Fire Management following the instruction in December 2011 from Wherry Housing Association to carry out reviews of previously conducted fire risk assessments. Active Fire Management have now commenced re-visiting some 160 properties to review and update the fire risk assessment for each which is expected to be completed mid February 2012.

Wherry, which has been a loyal customer of Active Fire Management for several years strives to be nationally recognised, excellent provider of affordable housing services. They aim to be key influencers of the national housing and wider community agenda, gaining their influence resources and partnerships with a range of agencies. Their services are designed in partnership with their residents to provide innovation solutions and together they continue to build outstanding communities where people actively want to live and work

Police investigating a fatal flat fire in Worcester have arrested a man. Andrew Heath, aged 52, was found dead at his flat in Chedworth Close, Warndon, after a suspected arson attack in the early hours on the 14th December. West Mercia Police said a man in his 20s was arrested at a property in Rodborough Close, Warndon. A search was carried out and a number of items removed, they said. The man is in custody and will be questioned by detectives.

Last month, police arrested and released two men, one in his 20s and the other in his 30s, pending further investigations. A £10,000 reward was offered by police after the death of Mr Heath.

The reward would be given to anyone supplying information resulting in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for his death, police said.

Police believe two incidents of arson in Essex, one of which involved three petrol tanker cabs, are connected. Six vans and three trailers were set alight in Weston Avenue, Thurrock, at 01:45 GMT on Tuesday. Three cabs connected to petrol tankers were later set on fire in nearby Motherwell Lane at about 22:00 GMT. Fire crews were able to prevent the fire spreading to the tankers in what police described as a "staggeringly thoughtless" act. No-one was injured in either incident.

'Close proximity'

The exact causes of both are being investigated and police are checking CCTV footage of the area.Det Ch Insp Simon Anslow, of Essex Police, said: "At the moment we're approaching them as a linked investigation. "It seems too coincidental to have two offences in such close proximity within 20 hours of each other." He added: "The danger they caused by setting [the cabs] on fire is just immense. It's staggeringly thoughtless. "The tankers were parked up immediately behind and there were other vehicles parked up adjacently.

"Those tankers could have exploded and would have undoubtedly set the ones adjacent to them off and we could have had a major explosion."

We are pleased to announce several new training courses taking place at our Crawley, West Sussex Training Centre in February to April 2012:

• 08 February 2012
• 28 February 2012
• 08 March 2012
• 28 March 2012
• 28 April 2012

Click here to download a Training Course brochure.

Who needs Fire Marshal and Fire Warden Training?

The current legislation requires for places of work to have a certain number of trained Fire Marshals / Fire Wardens in place. Our training course provides the requires knowledge and skills for Fire Marshals / Fire Wardens.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the training session course attendees will be able to:

• State their responsibilities as fire marshals
• Describe how fire spreads and the different types of fire extinguishers and the appropriate use
• Explain relevant fire procedures and why they are implemented
• Define the importance of evacuation plans and how to follow these in the event of a fire
• Detail the action to take upon discovery of a fire
• Describe methods of identifying and managing risks
• Explain human behaviour and what can be expected when in danger
• Detail the importance of and the required actions in fire drills and with record keeping
• The significant findings of your fire risk assessment (if required)

To request a course programme, book a place or for any other enquiry please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

A pipe bomb which was found close to a school in west Belfast has been made safe by army bomb experts. St Teresa's Primary School was closed and a number of homes were evacuated after the device was found early on Tuesday morning. It was discovered on the Glen Road while emergency services dealt with a fire in the area. Ch Supt Mark Hamilton said the device had the capacity to "maim or kill". "At around 03:00 GMT police and Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service attended a report of a fire at business premises at the Glen Road area," he said. "After re-examining the scene, police discovered a suspicious object in the area. "The device has been taken away for further examination but we can confirm that it was a viable pipe bomb which had the capacity to kill or maim."

Mr Hamilton said it was "particularly chilling" given the fact that a primary school was so close to the scene. "This is a residential area and we could have been looking at serious tragedy here," he said. "There is absolutely no doubt that this device was intended to murder and we would ask anyone with any information in relation to this incident to come forward and tell us what they know about this."

Police thanked local residents for their patience while the army dealt with the device.

They said they would make every effort to get residents back into their homes as soon as possible.

Part of the Glen Road closed due to the alert has now reopened.

Budget cuts to Greater Manchester Fire Service will result in call-out delays, putting the public at "greater risk", the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has said. Greater Manchester - which has the country's highest number of deaths in accidental house fires - has to make £23m of cuts over the next four years. FBU chairman Gary Keary said it had "serious concerns" over the cuts, which would "impact on the public's safety". Fire officer Steve McGuirk said the FBU's figures were "out of context".

'Major issues'

Mr Keary said: "The union has serious concerns that fewer fighters and fire engines is putting the public and firefighters at greater risk."In the Trafford Borough, which is the worst hit, there will be 40% fewer fire engines and up to 50% less firefighters. "In particular, we have major issues about the time it will take for the second fire engines to get to the scene." However, Mr McGuirk played down the statistics published by the FBU.

He said: "For example, when they identify 'slower response times' in each location, they imply a significant delay when, in reality, we are talking a matter of seconds. "This is because we are not closing stations or removing 'first appliances', so the current response times for the vast majority of incidents will largely remain the same." He added: "Sadly, we cannot make this kind of reduction without changes to our operational response." The chair of Greater Manchester's Fire Authority, Councillor David Acton, said: "They will probably be within 30 seconds slower in the main, but at the end of the day we have to find the money from somewhere.

"We have already cut £10m from senior management and the back office, but now we face the front line."

The consultation period over the proposed cuts ends on 23 January.

A total of 130 residents were evacuated from a north-west London tower block after a fire broke out in the premises. Fire crews were called to the 22-floor building in Swiss Cottage at around 10pm on Monday (16th January) to tackle the blaze, which partially gutted the 17th floor. It took firefighters more than three hours to tackle the blaze, in which no-one was injured.

Station manager Rod Horton said: "This was a big block of flats and at this time of night a lot of people were inside the building.

"Crews worked extremely hard to get the fire under control and to confine the fire to the seventeenth floor."

If you want to reduce the risk of death in a fire as much as possible, you could consider fitting sprinklers in your home. They provide a high level of protection from the risk of dying in a fire. They are particularly suitable for older people and for those who have difficulty moving around or have some other disability. In parts of the USA where sprinklers have become compulsory, almost no one dies from fire at home.

If you’re considering getting a sprinkler system fitted, here are some further points to bear in mind:

• sprinklers are fitted in as many rooms as you want them to be - their pipes are small and run off mains water
• they are individually heat-activated, so the whole system doesn't go off at once
• they rarely get set off accidentally as they need high temperatures to trigger them
• they operate automatically, whether you're at home or not
• if you have a sprinkler system, you should also have a smoke alarm, as this will alert you to slow-burning, smoke-generating fires which may not generate enough heat to trigger the sprinkler
• sprinklers also sound an alarm when they go off, so they alert you as well as tackling the fire

These are fire-resistant sheets of material that you can use to cover a fire to cut its supply of oxygen. They can also be wrapped around a person whose clothes are on fire.

Fire blankets are quick to use, easy to maintain and cheaper than fire extinguishers. However, to use them, you need to get close to the fire – meaning your hands will be particularly at risk of burning. You can also only use them on very small and contained fires - like chip pan fires on the cooker. In addition, it is likely that you will only get one go at putting out the fire. If you don’t put it out, you won’t be able to retrieve the blanket.

They're ideal to keep in the kitchen, but they are not good for general use. If you get one, you should make sure it conforms to British Standard BS 6575 and bear these points in mind:

• it should be easy to get to in an emergency
• never put it away in a cupboard
• it shouldn't be mounted above a cooker or heater
• a fire blanket is most useful in the kitchen

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be a real danger. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to ensure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

Dealing with an electrical fire

If there is an electrical fire, pull the plug out, or switch off the power at the fuse box - if it's safe to do so. Sometimes this can stop the fire immediately.

Never use water on an electrical fire, and don't take any risks with your safety - get out, stay out and call 999.

See ‘What to do if there’s a fire’ for more information about dealing with a fire.

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be a real danger. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to ensure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be a real danger. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to ensure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

Cables and leads

The risks with cables and leads include:

• getting frayed and damaged – make sure the outer covering of all power leads is in good condition and replace if necessary
• being badly positioned  – they shouldn’t be anywhere that they could be tripped over, or near water, cookers or other sources of heat
• running them under rugs or carpets where they can wear through without anyone noticing – position them elsewhere

Appliances

For electrical appliances, you should never:

• get them wet – this includes plugs and sockets, so don’t put a vase of flowers on top of the TV, for example
• leave them on at night – unless they are designed to be left on, like freezers
• put anything in the microwave that is made of metal, or has a metallic finish or parts

Electrical appliances, plugs and cables that are old or poorly wired can be a real danger. Just because there’s no flame does not mean there’s no fire risk. Find out what to check for to ensure your appliances don’t put you, your family or housemates at risk from fire.

What to check for on your electrical appliances

There are particular danger signs to look out for on all electrical items you have around your home. If you think something needs fixing or changing, do it straight away.

For plugs and sockets, keep an eye out for the following:

• hot plugs or sockets, scorch marks, fuses that often blow, or flickering lights - they are all are signs of loose wiring or other electrical problems
• badly wired plugs – any coloured wires sticking out could come loose and debris could also get into the plug
• overloaded sockets – plugging too many electrical appliances into one socket can lead to overheating

Firefighters have tackled a fire at a factory on a north Wales industrial estate. Fire engines and an aerial ladder platform were sent to the Wrexham Industrial Estate after an emergency call was received at 05:19 GMT. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the fire broke out in the flue of one of the units.

Nobody was injured or trapped, said the service.

Fire crews have been tackling a large blaze at a vehicle scrap yard outside Mayobridge in County Down. Thousands of tyres were destroyed in the fire at the premises on Newry Road. The blaze has now been brought under control with no further threat to property or life. Up to 40 firefighters have been involved in tackling the blaze which started on Sunday night. Group Commander John Allen said his officers were now focused on protecting the environment.

"Our primary concern now will be to control this fire in such a way that we minimise and mitigate any damage to the environment," he said. "We are alongside a river and we are very conscious that fire water run-off has the potential to go into that river and result in a major fish kill." "As a result we are modifying our tactics accordingly and we are working in conjunction with the environment agency."

A dual carriageway had to be closed for four hours after a major fire broke out at an Aberdeenshire roofing company. About 40 firefighters tackled the blaze at Stevenson and Kelly, near Potterton, which started at about 20:20 on Thursday and caused extensive damage. The A90 between Aberdeen and Balmedie was closed due to smoke billowing across the road.

No-one was injured in the fire which is not being treated as suspicious. Group manager with Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, Ally Birkett, said it was a very serious incident.

A major blaze which destroyed five buildings on a Lancashire industrial estate is finally out - three weeks after the fire broke out. The fire which started in a warehouse storing tissue paper on 21 December ripped through Lancashire Enterprise Business Park in Leyland. Gas, electricity and water supplies have now been restored on the estate. The man in charge of the clean-up operation said now the fire was out they were demolishing the site. 'Massive incident'

Gary Pierce, assistant director of property at Lancashire County Council, which owns the park, said more than 40 businesses had been affected by the fire. He said: "It was such a massive incident with such a huge effect on the building it has taken this long to get under control. "The damaged area is now fenced off and under control. "We are now concentrating on the next phase of the operation - clearing and demolish the site." He said the authority was also continuing to work with businesses on the estate affected by the blaze, including the two worst hit companies - WH Bowker and H Parkinson Haulage.

He said it was difficult to give a time scale on how long it would take to restore the Enterprise Park.

Fire crews have rescued a 79-year-old man who became stuck in mud near London's Battersea Bridge.

London Fire Brigade (LFB) said it sent four fire engines and a fire boat to the bridge in west London just before 10:30 GMT. London Ambulance Service said it treated the man, who was suffering from hypothermia, at the scene. He was taken to Chelsea and Westminster hospital. Fire crews used an inflatable pathway to rescue the man.

A LFB spokesman said: "The river bank can be dangerous. Think before you walk."

Thirty-six people were moved out of a block of high-rise flats in Whitehouse, Newtownabbey, due to an an overnight fire. The blaze, on the first floor of Woodland flats, was reported shortly before 01:00 GMT on Thursday Police officers forced entry to a number of flats and residents were then taken to a local leisure centre. One person was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The fire was started accidentally.

In total, 14 floors of the building were evacuated. Seven fire appliances attended the scene.

A local coach company helped take some of the residents to the leisure centre. PSNI Chief Inspector Stephen Reid said: "Being woken from your sleep in the middle of the night and told that there is a fire in your building would be a traumatic experience for anyone.

Two people have been taken to hospital after a chemical leak in Northamptonshire.

The Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service have confirmed there had been a chemical incident on part of the Royal Oak Industrial Estate, in Daventry. The site has been closed after a chemical leak.

Northamptonshire Police added that several people were also suffering from headaches.

Fire crews are battling a large-scale blaze at a wood recycling facility in South Yorkshire. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue were called to the Northern Wood Recycling plant on Bankwood industrial estate in Rossington at around 3.45am this morning (January 12th). The flames are being fuelled by around 1,000 tonnes of wooden pallets and an excavator at the site.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service told the Epworth Bells: "Firefighters are doing an excellent job of making the building safe by using jets to damp down the side of the building and so far they have managed to contain the fire."

Under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales.

The Fire Brigades Union ( FBU ) has expressed its concern that Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service's (DSFRS) decision to stop publishing full attendance records at incidents will hide future cuts. The fire safety service will now only publish the time it takes for the first fire engine to attend a call, not all of the appliances which eventually respond to a call. The full attendance records will only be available internally. According to the FBU , these changes will mean that the public will not be aware of the true performance of DSFRS.

Dave Chappell, from the FBU in Exeter, said: "We are deeply concerned that the real intention is just to be a smokescreen for further cuts," adding that local residents would not know about any changes made to the service's infrastructure unless they were published.

In response to the claims, assistant chief fire officer Peter Smith claimed the changes to the fire logging system will make it easier for the public to know about the figures which truly affect them.

A number of council-run buildings in Lambeth were found to be in breach of fire safety regulations last year, it has been revealed. The London Fire Brigade (LFB) issued a series of fire safety enforcement notices to the council in 2011 in relation to its schools, children's clubs and sheltered housing accommodation, reports The South London Press. The most recent notice was handed to Lambeth Council's chief executive Derrick Anderson in mid-November after fire safety risks were found in housing block Lambeth Towers in Kennington. According to the notice, the council had failed to light emergency exits, give sufficient fire safety training or effectively manage "preventative and protective" fire safety measures.

A spokesman for the LFB revealed that the organisation inspects 16,000 properties a year and will take action where appropriate

"It is essential that those people responsible for the fire safety of buildings understand their responsibilities under fire safety law," they told the news provider.

A museum in Somerset could be forced to close as it currently breaches fire safety regulations. Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service (DSFRS) has warned Patrick Cook, the owner of the Bakelite Museum in Williton, that the old mill which houses the museum needs to be modified to meet current fire safety laws, reportsthisissomerset.co.uk. Mr Cook is currently changing the electrics and fitting fire exit signs but he must now raise £20,000 to fit an exterior fire-escape or face the prospect of seeing his business close down. The museum owner will also need to change the interior fabric of the listed mill and replace the current wooden staircases.

A spokesperson for DSFRS told the news provider: "Each year people die or are seriously injured as a result of fires at work. Besides loss of life, fire costs UK businesses millions.

"We remind businesses of the importance and benefits of regularly carrying out a fire safety assessment."

A fire which damaged 11 cars near a Dorset quarry is being investigated. Crews were called overnight after reports of a fire next to Inmosthay Quarry in Portland. Two shipping containers holding engine components, an empty horsebox and a mobile building with old railway sleepers inside were also severely damaged.

Three fire engines were called. Crews will return to the site in Easton Lane later to inspect it.

The damaged cars were described as banger racing cars.

A 46-year-old man has been arrested in connection with an arson attack on a GAA club in Londonderry. Sean Dolan's clubhouse in Creggan was badly damaged in a fire in December and will have to be rebuilt. The PSNI originally said the fire was not started deliberately but later said it was arson.

The Police Ombudsman is currently investigating the police's actions during their investigation into the fire.

District Commander, Chief Superintendent Stephen Martin, referred the matter to the police ombudsman's office.

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) is calling for sprinkler systems to be fitted in all of the capital's schools after new statistics revealed the huge number of blazes in institutions last year. Figures from the brigade show that 113 accidental fires and 36 arson attacks occurred in schools, colleges and nurseries in London in 2011. This is the equivalent of one fire every three days. Nationally, one in eight schools suffered an arson attack last year at a cost of approximately £65 million, with a third of this amount accounted for by London-based educational institutions.

Councillor Susan Hall, chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority's community safety committee, urged local authorities to stop ignoring the huge benefits of sprinklers.

"As well as making sure the children in their care are protected, those responsible for our schools should recognise that sprinklers can dramatically reduce damage by stopping fires from spreading so quickly," she said. "This would help to protect the significant amount of public money invested in our school buildings."

Northern Ireland’s award winning Ulster Museum has been equipped with a new Apollo-based fire detection system as part of a £17.5 million refurbishment programme. Eurotec Safety Services, who have been representing Apollo for over 20 years, supplied and commissioned the fire system.

Ulster Museum is acknowledged as one of the UK’s finest, having won the Art Fund Prize in 2010 for the museum that best recognises and stimulates originality and excellence in the UK. The museum is home to a number of collections that represent Northern Ireland’s history, varying from fossils and archaeology to world cultures and art. Two of the museum’s prize pieces are Takabuti, a seventh century BC Egyptian Mummy and Peter the Polar Bear. Peter shot to fame when the museum’s night watchman reported hearing unusual noises coming from taxidermied bear. The museum also houses the most complete real dinosaur fossil on display in Ireland in the form of the Edmontosaurus skeleton and some of the finest examples of Celtic design from the Iron Age.

As part of the refurbishment of this listed building, a new extension was added to the original museum. The central feature of the new extension is a 23 metre high atrium which houses the giant ‘Window on our World’ display tower. This state-of-the-art attraction rises up through the museum’s four levels and houses the most iconic objects from across the museum’s diverse collections. As well as containing many exhibits that are of high financial and sentimental value, the recently refurbished museum also boasts three new learning zones, 33 galleries, exhibition spaces and a restaurant.

There were a number of factors that had to be taken into account when designing the fire detection system. Given the diverse nature of the facilities, the client required a fire system that was reliable in a range of different environments. In addition, there was a need to be able to protect a large number of visitors of all ages, many of whom would not know the building layout or fire evacuation drill. As well as being able to protect a large number of people in a challenging environment, a reliable voice controlled evacuation system was necessary in order to communicate with those who are unable to understand the traditional alarms, whether due to a disability or because of language barriers.

Approximately 500 Apollo analogue addressable XP95 detectors were specified to meet the main fire protection requirements, with the system based around a Kidde Vega panel that controls 24 zones. The specification required a large number of interfaces to be incorporated into the system, for example, to control the display lighting, audio and visual display features and the museum lifts in the event of an emergency.
Geoff Dougan, of Eurotec Safety Services, said, “Apollo’s XP95 range gave us the product choice and flexibility to meet the specifications of this application. It is well proven in the field and the reliability of Apollo systems is one of the main reasons why we have been using their products for more than 20 years.”

Within a year of re-opening following the refurbishment, Ulster Museum had welcomed 500,000 visitors, making it Northern Ireland’s busiest visitor attraction.

A former Lord Mayor of Nottingham has received a suspended prison sentence after his quilt factory was found to breach fire safety regulations. Mohammed Munir, the owner of Trent Valley Trading in Bilborough, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court to six months imprisonment, suspended for two years, after pleading guilty to six separate offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Mr Munir, who was Lord Mayor of the city between 2006 and 2008, was also ordered to carry out 180 hours unpaid work and pay £4,000 in costs. His offences included failing to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment and failing to comply with an enforcement order issued by Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) to achieve a satisfactory standard of fire safety.

Despite being given ample time to comply with the notice, Mr Munir ignored the deadline and continued to trade at the premises while they were deemed unsafe.

Neil Williamson, fire protection station manager at NFRS, said: "In this case, my officers had previously spent some time ensuring that the occupier was aware of his responsibilities and duties to ensure the safety of employees, and it is disappointing that he chose to place people at risk from fire.

Hundreds of shoppers were evacuated from a shopping centre in Oxfordshire yesterday after an electrical fire broke out on the premises. Fire crews were called to the Castle Quay Shopping Centre in Banbury shortly after 1pm on Sunday (8thJanuary) to tackle the blaze, which started in an electrical room. Firefighters used breathing apparatus and thermal imaging cameras to help combat the flames, which were close to high-voltage cables in the power distribution system. Shoppers and staff were allowed back into the centre at around 3pm.

Banbury's station manager Chris Wilson told the Banbury Guardian: "The efficient and effective method of calling the fire service in this instance, joined with the speed and weight of the fire service attendance, meant that damage was limited and nobody was hurt."

Two adults and three children, one of them a newborn baby, were taken to hospital after a serious house fire in Shropshire. The fire started at about 01:35 GMT in a two-storey, house in Teal Close, near Brookside, Telford. The five people escaped from the house through a first-floor window. Fire crews treated the man and the woman for the effects of smoke inhalation. Ambulance crews treated the children and the baby, who had a head injury. Neighbour Natalie Elcock said: "As soon as everyone was out and we'd moved them all away, the windows went through. But we were just concerned about the kids."

The cause of the fire has not been established yet. West Midlands Ambulance Service said the woman, who is believed to be in her 20s, had also fractured a leg.

All five were taken to the Princess Royal Hospital for checks.

There are fears for the future of a listed building in Northampton after a fire damaged its roof. The grade II listed former Angel Hotel in Bridge Street has suffered internal collapses since the blaze was extinguished on Monday. It has now been covered in scaffolding and cordoned off. The whole of Bridge Street remains closed to traffic and the cause of the fire is still under investigation. Neil King, of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The main concern is the safety of the building. "It's a public safety issue more than anything at the moment." The building housed two bars, Fat Cat Bar and the Balloon Bar.

The closure of the bars follows the closure of one of the town's largest nightclub venues, Lava Ignite, in October, which has prompted concerns about the night time economy of the town. Northamptonshire County Council has consulted with business owners in the area and has vowed to get the town centre open for business as soon as possible.

Once the safety work has finished a temporary one-way system will be introduced to the area.

Bridge Street is to become one-way for all traffic, Angel Street will become a one-way street between Guildhall Road and Fetter Street and the section of Angel street to the west of Fetter street will become access only.

Firefighters in Humberside battled a barn blaze for over 24 hours on New Year's Day. Humberside Fire and Rescue service were called to the Grinsdale Rise farm in Nafferton at around 2.34pm after the owners found their Dutch barn was aflame,  Driffield Today reported. Firefighters were tackling the flames for hours as 120 tonnes of straw ignited and helped fuel the fire. Crews only left the scene at 4.24pm on January 2nd.

A spokesperson for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said: "The fire got put out quite quickly but firefighters had to turn and dampen the hay over in case there were any residual embers so that there was no risk of reigniting."

No-one was inside the barn at the time of the fire.

Part of Norwich market was cordoned off when three fire crews were called to rescue a gull caught in a tree. At least 15 firefighters were involved in helping the bird, which had become entangled in branches on Gentleman's Walk. The incident at 15:10 GMT attracted dozens of onlookers, many of whom said they were amazed at the number of firefighters and engines.

The fire service said it was called by the RSPCA as the bird was in distress. One engine was called initially, but crews requested an aerial ladder platform, which requires a support vehicle, it added. The rescue took about 15 minutes once the aerial ladder platform arrived, and was over by about 15:45 GMT. The fire service, which estimates that fire engines cost £300 an hour when on a call, said it only responds to animal rescues if the RSPCA has already carried out an assessment. Crews can be called away from rescues if they are required at a more pressing emergency, a spokesman added.

The bird was left in the care of the RSPCA.

A man has been arrested after a blaze in Nottinghamshire which led to a firefighter being taken to hospital with the man he rescued. Crews were called to a three-storey building on Carlton Road in Sneinton at 03:55 GMT on Thursday. The firefighter used a ladder to rescue a man from a third floor flat and both were treated in hospital after inhaling smoke. A 39-year-old man was arrested and remains in police custody.

Station manager Andy Lindley said: "When we actually got in attendance we realised a person was trapped on the third floor. We committed a team of fire fighters via a ladder on the external part of the building and rescued an adult. In doing that unfortunately one of our firefighters suffered smoke inhalation and was transferred to the Queen's Medical Centre."

"Luckily he's absolutely fine now. He's recovered and is back on duty."

The police are investigating an arson attack at a commercial premises in Ballyclare, County Antrim. The fire, at Clare Farm Supplies in the Park Street area, was reported shortly after 0330 GMT on Thursday. Around 40 firefighters went to the scene, and the fire has now been put out.

There was no-one in the building at the time, but the property has been badly damaged. The police said Park Street is closed between Main Street and Grange Street. BBC Northern Ireland reporter Kerry Thompson went to the scene.

"Its been quite a big operation involving over 40 firefighters from various areas including Antrim, Glengormley, and Lisburn as well as here in Ballyclare. "Because of the high winds this has made it a very difficult operation. There was concern because of the closeness of other commercial premises - especially a car show room - that this fire would spread quickly. It's been quite hazardous."

A Grade II listed building in Northampton was severely damaged by a fire that broke out in the building earlier this week. More than 50 firefighters were called to the former Angel Hotel in Northampton town centre on Monday night, reports the Northampton Chronicle. The blaze gutted the second and third floors of the building and also caused the ceiling of The Fat Cat Cafe Bar, located on the ground floor, to collapse.

Station manager Neal King told the news provider: "Crews had to work extremely hard under difficult conditions to contain the fire and stop it spreading.

"The internal walls leant themselves to fire spread which caused issues for firefighters in terms of where the fire was going."

A fire which caused severe damage to an Indian restaurant in Bradford was started deliberately, police have confirmed. Fire crews were called to the Taza Grill in Great Horton Road at around 4am on Saturday (31st December) to tackle a fire blaze which engulfed the ground and first floors of the building, reports the Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Residents of four nearby flats had to be evacuated, with one 85-year-old man taken to hospital after suffering the effects of smoke inhalation.

Although dozens of firefighters managed to eventually bring the fire under control, building owner Tariq Parvez revealed that the damage was so extensive that repairs would cost around £500,000.

A police spokesman told the news provider: "The fire is being treated as arson and inquiries are ongoing to trace those responsible."

A fire has damaged a derelict pub in south Wales which has stood on the site for nearly 100 years. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to The Old Mill building in Bargoed at 4:38am on Monday morning.

Fire crews from Cefn Forest Bargoed, Rhymney and Abercarn managed to extinguish the flames at around 9am using a hydraulic platform and a water bowser. No one was injured in the blaze as the building was unoccupied at the time of the fire.

A 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment must be conducted on all commercial properties in England and Wales, under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Campaigners in Leicestershire have called for fire safety procedures to be reviewed in all of the city's health centres.

It follows an incident at the recently-opened Belgrave Health Centre in which a patients' group was unsure how to assist a member in a wheelchair down from the second floor during a fire alarm, reports thisisleicestershire.co.uk. Suresh Nagar suffered bruising after fellow members of the Cross Street Surgery patients' group struggled to get him to the ground floor on an evacuation chair. Ballu Patel, chairman of the Leicester Mercury Patients' Panel, claimed that the incident highlights the need for a review of fire safety procedures.

He said: "We must be sure staff are fully trained in fire evacuation and that there are fire marshals for every floor. In this instance, this doesn't seem to have happened.

"The health centre is a public building with two busy GP practices and people visiting for other appointments. It is not practical to ask everyone to sign in and out."

A spokesman for NHS Leicester City, the operator of the city's health centres, revealed that visitors need to notify a trained member of staff if any member of their party is disabled.

Four people were taken to hospital yesterday morning (2nd January) following a fire at a holiday village in Somerset. Fire crews were called to the Brean Sands Holiday Village, near Weston-super-Mare, at around 2am after three chalets caught fire. Four holidaymakers were taken to Weston General Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, while another was treated at the scene by paramedics.

A Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson revealed that chalets near the blaze also suffered heat damage.

Pete Golding, the fire incident commander, told BBC News: "We've got fire investigation teams coming back later in the day to find out the cause, but at the moment it's not being dealt with as a deliberate fire, it's believed to be accidental."

More than 800 guests were evacuated from the Celtic Manor resort hotel in south Wales after a fire broke out on the premises yesterday morning (2nd January). Firefighters were called to the venue in Newport at 4.25am on Monday to tackle a small blaze in the laundry room on the ninth floor.

A spokesman for the Celtic Manor resort said: "A small fire was located and extinguished within minutes. "The resort apologises to residents for the disturbance but their safety has to be paramount concern in the resort's fire alarm procedures."

No one was injured in the fire, which is believed to have been started accidentally, according to South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Home Safety Council research shows that injuries associated with windows caused more than 110,000 emergency room visits in a single year. To be safe around windows, follow these tips.

Protect Children from Window Falls

Children are more likely to die or be severely injured from window-related falls than falls associated with any other product. Most of these injuries happen during the spring and summer.

Window Cords

Reports show that more than 169 strangulation deaths caused by window coverings have been tracked since 1991. Most were children three and younger, though children up to age six are considered to be at risk. New window coverings are designed to be safer, but some homes still have older blinds. They have cords that form a loop. These could strangle a child. The best option is to install new 'cordless' blinds to reduce the risk of strangulation even more.

Falls on or from stairs or steps are the leading known cause of death due to residential falls. Follow these steps to stairway safety to make your home safer from falls:

Falls are by far the leading cause of home injury deaths. The safest way to climb indoors and out is to use a safe and sturdy ladder. Whether you're spring cleaning, hanging decorations or painting, the same basic ladder safety rules apply:

Using an Extension Ladder

Garages aren't just for cars; they are an extension of our homes. Most families use the garage for storage or projects that are too big or too messy for indoors. Unfortunately, the garage can be a magnet for junk, which also makes it a place where falls, poisonings and fires can happen. We encourage families to think of the garage as a room of the home and take the following steps to make it safer.

Store Poisons Safely

Garage Organization

Prevent Injuries in the Garage

Children are hurt more from falls in the home than any other kind of home accident. Falls cause more than 3 million childhood injuries every year. Look around your home for places your child might fall. Take steps today to make them safer.

Protect Children from Falling on Stairs

Make Balconies Kid-Safe

Protect Children from Falling out of Windows

Protect Children from Playground Falls

Many groups, including some safety organizations, offer adhesive "child locator" window decals to be placed on the window panes of rooms where children sleep.

The decals are supposed to help firefighters find children in a fire. However, the Home Safety Council does not recommend them.

Fire fighters are trained in the best way to find and rescue people. They will know what to do.

Decals signal an area of vulnerability

Putting a sign on your child's window may tell a burglar where a good place to enter your home is. Old decals could potentially lead a fire fighter on a dangerous, yet needless search for a child who isn't there. Many fire departments do not recognize the decals as legitimate markers because they often remain affixed to windows long after a child has out-grown the room or families with children have moved away.

Practice fire drills so you can get your family out

Rather than using decals, make a fire escape plan and practice it. You can help fire fighters by getting to your meeting place on your own. Call the fire department once you get outside. If someone is trapped inside, do not try to save them yourself. The fire fighters have the training and equipment to rescue someone.

The huge fire that engulfed a Russian nuclear submarine undergoing repairs in the northern Murmansk region has been put out, the emergency minister says. Sergei Shoigu said radiation monitoring would also now go back to normal after being stepped up when the blaze started on wood decking near the Yekaterinburg. Officials said there was no risk as its two reactors had been shut down. Nine people were hurt fighting the fire. President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the incident.

One of his deputy prime ministers has promised that the Yekaterinburg, a Delta-IV-class nuclear submarine, will be repaired within several months. "According to preliminary information, the damage caused by the fire will not affect the ship's combat characteristics," Dmitriy Rogozin said. The Yekaterinburg had been inside a dry dock at the Roslyakovo shipyard - on the Barents Sea coast, 1,500 km (900 miles) north of Moscow - on Thursday when wooden scaffolding around it caught fire. The blaze soon spread to the submarine's rubber-coated outer hull. The Yekaterinburg is part of the Russian navy's Northern Fleet Television pictures showed thick smoke billowing from the top of the vessel as 11 fire crews doused the flames with water from helicopters and tug boats. The submarine was later partially submerged in an effort to extinguish the blaze.

The fire was contained at 01:40 on Friday (21:40 GMT on Thursday), according to the emergency situations ministry, but by the morning, the submarine was still smouldering, and firefighters were still working at the scene, pouring water over the outer hull as well as the space between it and the inner hull, reports said. A law enforcement source told Russian news agencies that seven servicemen at the shipyard and two emergency ministry personnel had suffered from smoke inhalation.

On Friday afternoon, Mr Shoigu told a meeting of officials the fire had been "put out completely", and that there was "no open burning". He said that the cooling of the submarine's hull would continue.