Investigations are continuing today after a nightclub was evacuated after a fire. More than 1,000 people were forced to leave after the fire broke out in the ceiling of the Liquid and Envy club in Basildon. A woman was treated for smoke inhalation and a man suffered burns to his lower arms.
Hundreds of clubbers were led to safety from a nightclub in Essex last night after a fire broke out in the ceiling. Four crews were called to Liquid & Envy on Festival Leisure Park in Basildon at just before 2am.
One woman was treated for smoke inhalation, and a man was treated for burns to his arms. Police are now investigating how the fire started.
– – DIVISIONAL OFFICER STUART MCMILLAN, ESSEX FIRE & RESCUE SERVICESome 1,100 people were being evacuated from the building as crews arrived at the scene and fortunately there were no major injuries.
"The fire has damaged the staging area and some of the internal furnishings in one area of the nightclub. It is too early to say what caused the incident but we will be looking into that now the fire is out."
Full report on the first day of the inquest into the deaths of two firefighters who perished while tackling a blaze in a 15 storey tower block in Southampton. The loss of Alan Bannon and Jim Shears to Hampshire Fire and Rescue service was described as devastating.
Martin Dowse reports on the inquest that has revealed more details about the death of 2 Hampshire Fire fighters - who died tackling a blaze in Southampton. Jim Shears from Poole and Alan Bannon were the first to enter the building - the other crews were held back by the intense heat.
Two firefighters died because a "massive escalation" in a blaze in a high-rise flat in Southampton caused temperatures to reach hundreds of degrees, making it impossible for them to escape, an inquest has heard.
Conditions were so bad that it was not known at first that Alan Bannon, 38, and James Shears, 35, were missing. They were among the first to reach the blaze in the 15-storey building, Shirley Towers, on April 6 2010.
It was 45 minutes before colleagues could reach the two men in the ninth-floor flat. Southampton Coroner Keith Wiseman said Mr Bannon was pronounced dead at the scene and Mr Shears died later in Southampton General Hospital where attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
The inquest continues.
An inquest has begun into the deaths of firefighters Jim Shears & Alan Bannon while tackling a blaze at Shirley Towers in Southampton.
Read the full storyThe Chief Officer for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service has read out a tribute statement at the start of the inquest into the deaths of firefighters Alan Bannon and Jim Shears. The men died in a fire at the Shirley Towers block of flats in Southampton in April 2010.
Chief Officer John Bonney said that the fire service had already made some changes in the way it tackles incidents in high rise buildings. He also pledged to make further changes if proceedings reveal they are necessary. The full transcript will follow.
"It is with great sadness that we are here today for the inquest into the deaths of our two brave colleagues James Shears and Alan Bannon. These two firefighters tragically lost their lives whilst fighting a fire in order to protect the lives of others.
"These are difficult days for the families of both Jim and Alan and their colleagues. Our thoughts continue to be with them at this time and will be throughout the inquest...
– John Bonney, Chief Officer for Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service"The deaths of Jim and Alan have been a devastating loss. Neither I, nor the Service, will forget the courage and fortitude they showed on that night to defend the lives of others. This tragedy serves to remind us of the risks to which firefighters expose themselves day in and day out, every time they respond to an emergency call.
"The loss of our colleagues will forever remain in our thoughts but we feel that our best tribute to Jim and Alan has been to carry on providing the very best service that we can to the people of Hampshire... "
The inquest into the deaths of two firemen who died tackling a large blaze at a block of flats in Southampton opens today. A jury will be sworn in to hear evidence how Alan Bannon and James Shears lost their lives just over two years ago.
