Qld: Firefighters struggle for water to fight blaze
By Nadine Rofail
BRISBANE, Aug 17 AAP - Firefighters struggled to gain access to water during a blazeat a Brisbane manufacturing plant and showroom last night.
Queensland Fire and Rescue Service senior operations co-ordinator Tom James said firebroke out at Statewide Commercial Furniture on Basalt St at Geebung, on Brisbane's southside,about 8.40pm (AEST).
Mr James said the closest water main to the warehouse was difficult to access and brokeunder pressure.
"We believe there could have been some rust in the main which came out and blockedthe strainer which we have on the pump," Mr James said.
"This would have caused an immediate blockage and back pressure to the main which wouldhave caused it to collapse."
Mr James said five fire crews used water from their pumpers to keep the blaze fromspreading while water from another nearby main was organised, which took about 10 minutes.
He said the QFRS would ask Brisbane City Council to check the condition of other watermains in the region to prevent such an incident happening again.
In April a row erupted between firefighters and Brisbane City Council Lord Mayor JimSoorley, who attacked them over their call for blue cats-eye markers to be installed tohelp them locate fire hydrants.
Mr Soorley said firefighters would not need markers to tell them where hydrants wereif they did regular maintenance checks instead of playing cards and exercising.
"Mnay years ago in Brisbane the firies used to go out and check fire hydrants, theyused to do safety audits of buildings" he told ABC radio.
"They don't do that any more - they're, you know, playing cards and getting fit forcalendars and all those sorts of things."
Mr James said police and fire scientific officers would spend today investigating thecause of the blaze, which is estimated to have caused about $1 million damage.
He said the owner of the business had not been located and was believed to be interstate.
AAP nr/wjf
KEYWORD: BLAZE
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий