17.00hrs Monday 11 January
At the present time two appliances and our High Volume Pump
remain on scene. Gas from the cylinders involved is still burning
off, but the fire is being controlled by a deluge system, supported
by water being delivered by AF&RS. The operation we are
undertaking is to contain the fire and cool cylinders at the
premises.
This operation requires large quantities of water which is being
pumped directly from The Feeder Canal using our High Volume Pump.
The hose delivering water is more than 15cm in diameter and is
crossing Feeder Road. This water supply is absolutely vital to the
cylinder cooling.
This is a complex incident which is now in its fifth day. In
line with standard procedure the cordon has been put in place to
ensure public safety should there be further explosions.
Multi-agency meetings are being held on a regular basis to review
the extent of the cordon and risks at the site.
While the cordon has been reduced over the weekend, operational
requirements may mean that it is necessary to extend it once again
in the coming days. Any decision over the extent of the cordon is
being made with the full co-operation of all partner agencies, with
public safety as the single focus.
All the agencies involved are working together round the clock
to bring this incident to a safe conclusion as soon as possible. We
appreciate the disruption caused to local businesses and road
users, however public safety must remain our primary
concern.