FIRE!

Having the Canteen catch fire is hardly a good start for the New Year.
Mid-morning today the fire alarms at the Council Offices in Kirkby sounded. We calmly evacuated the building (myself included, not even stopping to save the spreadsheet I was working on) and assembled to the rear of the back car park.

At first we could just see a small amount of smoke wafting out of the ventilators of the Canteen building. This soon became a billowing black mass smelling evilly of burning plastic. Unfortunately the wind was blowing it in our direction! It was also drizzly and perishing cold, and no chance of going back in the building to retrieve a coat.

In a very short time we heard the sirens of the Fire & Rescue Service, and we were evacuated further to Festival Hall Leisure Centre across the road. As we made our way to safety and clean air we could smell that wood and paper were now alight. Flames were leaping through the roof-tiles of the canteen building and adjacent offices, whilst the Fire Crews doused them with torrents of water.

Thankfully, no-one was injured, but four Canteen staff had to be treated in hospital for shock. It is possible that the fire started with a deep fat fryer in the kitchen; imagine being around when one of those ignites. Terrifying.

The Fire Crews successfully managed to stop the fire spreading to the main office buildings, otherwise a lot more serious damage could have been done. As for us, we were given leave to have the afternoon off, though many of us couldn't get at our cars in the car-park (dangerously just beyond the blazing building) and we had a long walk home.

Select to read more about the fire, and to see a video of it, on the BBC website.

I periodically checked the Council's website was still up this afternoon and evening. It was! The Council Offices may be staff-less, choking with smoke, and flooded with water but you can still interact with the Council through its website 24/7, come what may!

The Council Offices in Kirkby are expected to be staffed and operational again tomorrow from 10am.