Major Incident Declared as 50 People Rescued from Orford Flat Fire
A massive emergency service response was mounted in Warrington last evening after a large fire broke out in a stairwell of a four-storey block of flats on Marsh House Lane. The North West Ambulance Service declared a ‘major incident’ in response to the blaze, which occurred at around 5:30pm.
According to eyewitnesses, a huge emergency service presence attended the incident, including around a dozen fire engines and a number of ambulances. Cheshire Police closed roads in the area to allow the emergency services to access the scene. Aerial ladder platforms were used to tackle the fire from above and rescue people from flats on the top two floors of the building.
The latest update from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service confirms that firefighters have extinguished the large fire in the stairwell. A spokesman for the service said: "We can confirm that firefighters have extinguished a large fire in the stairwell of a four-storey block of flats. A total of 50 people have been rescued from the building, including through the windows and balconies of the third and fourth floor."
The rescue efforts were extensive, with fire engines from Warrington, Birchwood, Lymm, Knutsford, and Penketh, Alsager, and Widnes fire stations attending the incident. Firefighters were assisted by aerial ladder platforms from Lymm and Chester fire stations, as well as a number of appliances from Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service.
Fortunately, despite the scale of the incident, no serious injuries have been reported. The North West Ambulance Service triaged and treated those rescued on the scene. A spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "North West Ambulance Service triaged and treated those rescued on the scene and, thankfully, no serious injuries have been reported. At this time, it is believed that everyone in the building has been accounted for, but firefighters will carry out thorough checks."
The emergency services responded rapidly to the incident, with a significant blue light presence in the area. However, as the situation was brought under control, the number of emergency service resources were reduced accordingly. Fire crews will remain in attendance overnight, and roads in the immediate area will remain closed while an investigation into the cause of the fire is underway. The community has been praised for their calmness and co-operation during the incident. As the spokesman for Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Thank you to residents and the community for their calmness and co-operation."
The source of this article, the Warrington Guardian, has provided a detailed account of the incident, including quotes from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. The article provides a comprehensive overview of the incident, including the emergency response, the rescue efforts, and the aftermath of the fire.
