Four appliances needed to tackle blaze on busiest day

The video - which has surfaced on the internet - shows firefighters quelling the blaze at the Simon Community Sheltered Accommodation at Bonds Hill on Sunday, May 1.

A spokesperson for the Londonderry fire service advised that two appliances and an Ariel Appliance were dispatched from Northland Fire Station whilst one appliance was dispatched from Crescent Link Fire Station. “Firefighters dealt with a fire in a 3 storey terrace dwelling. The fire was on the third floor and spread to a very heavily insulated roof space. The incident was dealt with at 17.12 and was accidental,” the spokesperson said.

The blaze occurred on a day which NIFRS described as the busiest it had ever experienced.

Deliberate gorse fires during the fine weather over the May Day bank holiday meant NIFRS was stretched to the limit across Northern Ireland.

And the illustration of the amount of resources required to tackle the Bonds Hill house fire reinforces fire service appeals not to go near gorse or grassland during dry conditions.

According to the Assistant Chief Fire Officer Dale Ashford, NIFRS experienced an unprecedented level of operational activity over a four day period (April 29 – May 2, 2011) with firefighters tackling 755 gorse and wildland fires right across Northern Ireland. Sunday, May 1, 2011 was the busiest day on record for NIFRS.

“I would again appeal to the public not to go near gorse land or grassland areas where these incidents are ongoing as it can be extremely dangerous due to the potential for rapid fire spread,” said Mr Ashford.

“It is disappointing to reiterate that many of these fires have been started deliberately, which is not only putting a strain on NIFRS resources, but may endanger lives.”