Fury as yobs stone Blackburn fire crew on bonfire call
11:00am Thursday 25th October 2012 in News
ANGER Firefighter Ben Maris with the engine which was attacked by youths who lit a bonfire
YOBS who stoned a 999 crew on a bonfire call-out have been branded ‘disgusting’.
Firefighters and residents condemned the hooligans who bombarded the crew in Roe Lee, Blackburn.
Some people said anti-social behaviour in the area had become such an issue it was now ‘like living in the Bronx’.
Fire chiefs said they would now be mobilising CCTV vans in some areas on the approach to Bonfire Night.
The attack came as 25 firefighters from the town’s fire station, Darwen and Hyndburn battled to bring a mill fire in Shear Brow under control.
The crew had been called to the small bonfire in Cornelian Street, which is thought to have been started deliberately to lure them to the scene.
Hyndburn Station manager Tim Murrell said a gang of around 12 youths, aged 12 to 15, started throwing stones at their fire engine, narrowly missing the window as they were preparing to leave.
He said: “The crew had talked with youths in the area and they seemed quite chatty and friendly.
"When they got back on the fire engine, they had a large stone thrown at them.
"One stone which hit the engine wasn't far from the window so it could have gone through and hurt the firefighters inside.
""We aren't sure how many stones were thrown as they got out of there.
"Obviously we take attacks on firefighters extremely serious. Any attacks on firefighters endangers the public. If firefighters can't respond, we can't save lives. We can't afford to be in two places at once."
Police were called but the youths had left the scene when they arrived.
The incident came as figures showed there have been 47 attacks on East Lancashire crews and 93 across the county in the past three years.
Mr Murrell said there was often an increase in incidents in the run up to Bonfire night and CCTV vans would now be sent to at risk areas to catch culprits.
He said: "Incidents tend to bubble up getting nearer to Bonfire Night.
"We have been lured into other areas before.
"For some reason, people throw rocks, stones, whatever they can find. They have fired fireworks at us in the past..
"We will be mobilising the community safety partnership CCTV van to areas at most risk in the run up to Bonfire Night."
Sharon Ashby, 45, who lives in nearby Peridot Close, Blackburn said: “For kids to target the emergency services like that it is absolutely disgusting. The kids are running this estate and it is getting worse. It’s honestly like living in the Bronx.
“I don’t leave the house at night because of it.
“The gang, is made up of children aged between nine and 19. They gather on the play area every evening leaving most other children too scared to use the park. It’s not right.
“The parents should do more to make sure they know where their kids are and what they are doing.”
Fellow resident Eleanor Oldfield, 81, of nearby Amber Avenue, said: “That behaviour is disgusting and completely unnecessary. There is a real issue with children around here.
“There is always big groups of youths on the play area until late in the evening and some are only about seven or eight-years-old.”
Zeeshan Ashraf, 35, of Cornelian Street, said the estate’s problems were predominantly caused by a derelict nursing home, the former Gables Home for the Elderly, in the street.
He said: “It is clear to see this building has no good use. Kids gather around here setting fires, breaking windows and stealing wood for bonfires. I think that is what happened this time.
“More should be done to prevent teenagers causing damage like this. Maybe morals need instilling at home by the parents.”
Kevin Deacon, chairman of the Lancashire Fire Brigade Union, which represents 800 firefighters, condemned the youths.
He said: "They just think it's fun with no serious consequences.
"Not only are they putting lives of crews at risk, they are putting their families at risk by not having cover.
"And if a firefighter loses an eye or gets seriously injured and have to stop working, it could impact on their family.”
Comments(23)
Joseph O'M
says...
11:31am Thu 25 Oct 12
Rover_gem
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11:50am Thu 25 Oct 12
district01 wrote:That's a bit harsh...I think the majority of Blackburn residents will condemn the attacks! It happened in Preston a couple of weeks ago. It's absolutely disgusting and those responsible should be jailed.
The whole of Blackburn is out of control!
cathedral citi
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11:55am Thu 25 Oct 12
juanbbien
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12:02pm Thu 25 Oct 12
jimpy0
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12:17pm Thu 25 Oct 12
WHY_LINK
says...
12:17pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Major Tom
says...
2:40pm Thu 25 Oct 12
This is why I want to see CCTV on every street. I've nothing to hide.
Dave_P
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4:01pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Major Tom wrote:you sir are a tool of the highest order.
It's high time this annual ritual of burning is banned. The world is warming due to the CO2 & we're still allowing the creation of CO2 because of a few flames.
This is why I want to see CCTV on every street. I've nothing to hide.
turd moor
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5:09pm Thu 25 Oct 12
AnthonyUK
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7:12pm Thu 25 Oct 12
turd moor wrote:Very true. We are too soft on youth nuisance when it leads to firefighters attacked. The kids shouldnt have their hands slapped by the law if they attack emergency service personnel as they are currently. If they're old enough to be locked up then do so, if they are not old enough to be locked up the parents of these yobscums should be punished and put on mandatory parenting courses the kids in secure care. If I had a kid involved in this they'd be shopped to the police by me and i'd let the police deal with them rather than stick up for my kid and abuse the police in defence of them.
parent's should have their kids took off them and those who are older should be jailed
Carol2
says...
7:20pm Thu 25 Oct 12
jimpy0 wrote:Yes and I bet your daughters/ son is one of them little toe rags people make me laugh!!!
Those that live up here know, or will have a **** god idea who they were, as do the police. Cornelian St allegedly has CCTV installed on it after the spate of vehicle crime or are we being lied to again by the plods. Its always the same kids from the same families, who run the area like a little mafia again the police and TVH know who these families are and have done for the last couple of years.
jimpy0
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8:52pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Carol2
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9:19pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Carol2
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9:20pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Good call
says...
11:16pm Thu 25 Oct 12
Major Tom wrote:New world order shill Major Tom.What will banning bonfires do to prevent "global warming". As for wanting CCTV everywhere because you have nothing to hide ok then please can I look through your bank statements and your emails also I'm sending some people round tomorrow to remove your curtains.
It's high time this annual ritual of burning is banned. The world is warming due to the CO2 & we're still allowing the creation of CO2 because of a few flames.
This is why I want to see CCTV on every street. I've nothing to hide.
2 for 5p
says...
2:22am Fri 26 Oct 12
Joseph O'M wrote:You utter fool they would get pneumonia if you did this.
Maybe just spray the kids with a blast of the hose. I'm sure I heard a fireman once say that in days gone by that's what they used to do...it should be fairly harmless (after all, the police regulary deploy tazers) and on a freezing winter night should get these kids off the streets pretty sharpish. Attacks against firemen are indefensible - someone could have died in a fire elsewhere that might have been saved if these crews hadn't been lured out to this incident. People should be allowed to live without being fearful of leaving their own front doors.
Hayles68
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5:00am Fri 26 Oct 12
cathedral citi
says...
12:52pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Hayles68 wrote:I agree. Blackburn and Burnley, some thirty years ago, had very little differences between them. Over the years, Blackburn has had hefty amounts of inward investment, resulting in a somewhat vibrant town, with good facilities and a feelgood factor. Burnley, on the other hand..........
I have lived in Blackburn for 11 years, when first here it was a tad bleak, I lived up on Highercroft and that area was going through a similar phase, out of control kids, parents doing nothing about it....but after a year or so people started taking a bitof pride in their homes and area and things vastly improved. For some reason that is disappearing again, why? You all have a town full a a wealth of History and culture, people seem ashamed to say they are from Blackburn and it is slipping into a decline....dont be this way, do something about the yobs, lobby your councillors and MP's, get this town back to how it should be, parents, take control of your kids, Twin Valley Homes, pull your finger out and do something about the unruly families that are making peoples lives hell instead of worrying about making profits etc!!! This should be a town to be proud of and im saying that as a non Blackburnian, it is a fab little place to live if we all worked together!!!!!
As for riff raff toerags.... We find those in all towns.....
Compulsory euthanasia, perhaps? Lol
Major Tom
says...
2:28pm Fri 26 Oct 12
A bit of over-reaction there good call.
There's no need to blow things out of proportion.
New order shill! WTF!!
Are the lizards and aliens coming to get us? lmao
lancashirelad12
says...
6:31pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Carol2 wrote:I'm from Roe Lee. I have lived here all my life.
Well you FAT DOG all the kids on roe lee estate or not Molly coddled there dragged up with vile patents!!!
I have never done such things and wasn't 'dragged up' with 'vile patents'.. I assume you mean parents.
Don't tar everyone off with the same brush you ignorant person.
Good call
says...
6:39pm Fri 26 Oct 12
Major Tom wrote:I shouldn't have called you a shill but to say that the nwo/global government is a "conspiracy theory" is nonsense.Do you seriously think the EU and UN are working in the best interests of the people?
"New world order shill Major Tom.What will banning bonfires do to prevent "global warming". As for wanting CCTV everywhere because you have nothing to hide ok then please can I look through your bank statements and your emails also I'm sending some people round tomorrow to remove your curtains."
A bit of over-reaction there good call.
There's no need to blow things out of proportion.
New order shill! WTF!!
Are the lizards and aliens coming to get us? lmao
Groggy
says...
10:32pm Mon 29 Oct 12
district01 says...
11:11am Thu 25 Oct 12