Parts of West Yorkshire FSHQ to be sold for housing development

West Yorkshire Fire And Rescue Service has applied for outline consent to demolish existing buildings and build 30 houses at their Birkenshaw headquarters.
The site earmarked for houses was once occupied by a communications centre and thirteen former houses which were used as offices until 2013.
Once planning consent is secured, the fire service will sell the land to house builders and use the money for improving fire stations.

The site earmarked for houses was once occupied by a communications center and 13 former houses which were used as offices until 2013.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Beckley said: “West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority is in the process of redeveloping its estate as part of a major modernisation programme.
“A number of functions at the Birkenshaw headquarters are being relocated on the same site and elsewhere. Meanwhile, our Emergency Control Centre is also anticipated to move off-site to its new location in Leeds this autumn.
“This will leave a large plot of land at the site surplus to requirements which will be sold off to generate capital to fund other investment, such as new fire stations.
“A successful application for outline planning consent will increase the value of the land for prospective buyers, thereby ensuring more money is available for the Fire and Rescue Authority to reinvest.
“The outline application is for the demolition of existing buildings and up to 30 dwellings on site and will be subject to the usual consultation process through Kirklees Council Planning Department.
“Despite this application, the Fire Authority is not imposing any restrictions on future use of the land and will consider all approaches from potential buyers.”
The application is open to public comments at Kirklees Council until November 11, with a decision likely to be made by a planning committee, by mid-January.

Fireworks Extravaganza to be held at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters

 

Celebrate Fireworks safely at:

A Fireworks Extravaganza which is advertised to be held at West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, Birkenshaw. Attractions include:
Fireworks Display, Kids Rides, Food and Drink, Live Music.
Gates open at 6pm, the bonfire is lit at 7pm and the fireworks display is at 8pm, closing at 9.30pm.
On the gate Adults  £3, Children £2, Under 5's free.

                                                Even a sparkler can be dangerous

                                                Don't fool with Fireworks
                     

Building Fire Shroggs Road, Halifax

Fire crews responded to the old Dorlux bed factory premises on Shroggs Rd. Halifax at 18:09 Hrs this evening. When first crews arrived the building was well alight and the incident made up  to 5 pumps and an aerial. The building which is mainly single storey and a derelict warehouse was 20% involved in fire.

Overall view of appliances and crew in the factory Yard

Police closed Shroggs road due to appliances and crews working in the road, with local buses also being diverted and a water relay from Ovenden road put in place. 

BA crews stand by in the factory yard at the control point

The fire was quickly knocked down and crews prevented a major part of the building becoming involved. In total 1 jet was used from a CARP, another 2 Large jets and Breathing apparatus.
Appliances from Halifax 2, Illingworth 1, Brighouse 1, Cleckheaton 1 and Idle 1 attended. Bradford CARP was also requested as an aerial to the incident.

View from above the fire from Pellon Lane, Damping down in progress

WYFRS.. New Station at Valley Road, Shipley announced !

Shipley and Idle crews work together in January 2013 at Briggate in Shipley

A NEW fire station in the Bradford District will be built on a former housing site, it has been revealed. It will be at the junction of Valley Road and Shipley Fields Road, a site that used to be home to Incommunities housing prior to the demolition of the old maisonette flats on the site. 

The fire service has completed a land swap deal with the social housing provider Incommunities. The Valley Road site will replace the Shipley and Idle stations that will be closed down and is two miles north of the original proposed site on Canal Road.

Shipley Fire Station

The swap deal will see Bradford-based Incommunities build housing on the Shipley and Idle sites.

Bradford District commander Martin Speed said the announcement of the new site was exciting news. 
The fire service said the new station should be ready by the end of 2016. 


It will be crewed by full-time firefighters, 24/7, with one fire engine.

Idle Fire Station

Deputy chief fire officer Steve Beckley said: “We are very pleased to be working with Incommunities to deliver a state-of-the-art fire station and at the same time facilitate the provision of high quality social housing in the areas of most need.

Fire Stations at Rawdon and Otley are Saved

Fire crews tackle a building fire in Otley in 2009

The proposed closure of both fire stations in Otley and Rawdon have been scrapped.
The two stations were to have closed under plans to relocate to Menston - but West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has been forced to think again after it struggled to find a suitable site.
Both stations were given a reprieve after the authority accepted a recommendation to abandon the Menston plan today.

Otley Fire Station

WYFRs pledged that the Otley and Rawdon stations would not only stay open but would now benefit from investment in the longer term.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer, Steve Beckley, said: "I’m sure that people who live in the locality of Otley and Rawdon will be pleased by this decision and we look forward to investing in these stations to ensure they remain fit for purpose for the future."

Rawdon Fire Station

Horsforth Councillor Chris Townsley, who is the leader of the Lib Dem Group on the WYFRA said: "This has taken some hard work over the last few years but I am glad that the Authority has been able to come up with a workable alternative, which will leave our stations where they are."

Serious RTC on M62 Hartshead leaves two seriously injured

Scene of the collision on the M62 Westbound carriageway

At around 9:00pm last night Fire, Police and Ambulance attended a serious Road Traffic Collision on the westbound carriageway of the M62 between Junction 26 and the Hartshead moor services. The collision between three cars left a person trapped who had to be cut free by the fire service. Damage to two of the vehicles was severe.

Fire appliances from Odsal, Cleckheaton and Brighouse attended.

 A Vauxhall Zafira was driven eastbound along the westbound carriageway having exited the service station by the entry slip road. There was then a collision between it and an Audi A1 and a Ford Kuga which were travelling westbound.

One of the vehicles from the collision with crews in attendance

 The drivers of the Zafira (a 37 year old male from Bradford  and the Audi A1 (a 40 year old woman from the Holmfirth area) - were injured as a result of the collision and taken to Leeds General Infirmary by ambulance. A 29-year-old man from Ilkley, who was driving the Ford Kuga, was treated at the scene for slight injuries.
Both casualties in hospital are reported to be in stable conditions and are not thought to have suffered life threatening injuries. 
The carriageway was reopened at around 03:00am this morning 15th October

Police are appealing for anyone who may have information or saw the collision to contact them on the 101 number

Large Fire in Listerhills area of Bradford

Fire crews from around the West Yorkshire area  responded this lunchtime as fire broke out in a unit on the Listerhill's Industrial Estate, Norcroft Street in Bradford. Fire broke out when a vehicle was reportedly being worked on in a garage which forms part of the estate. Large amounts of smoke enveloped the area and could be seen from around the city. 

View from Listerhills Road

 Ambulance crews also attended long with the Police who cordoned off the are and closed roads around the site for fire crews to obtain water from hydrants in the district.

Bradford CARP being used as a Water Tower

Cleckheaton crew wearing BA

Crews used the CARP appliance from Bradford as a water tower along with  6 large jets, 2 ground monitors and Breathing apparatus sets.
West Yorkshire Fire Service said the fire started in an industrial unit containing cars, on Norcroft Street off Thornton Road.
The unit is part of a larger complex measuring 70m x 50 m. Some smaller units may also be affected.
A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said there were no reports of any injuries.

Listerhills side of the Buildings

Police have cordoned off the area around Thornton Road and Listerhill's Road, with traffic causing congestion in the area.

Nick Smith, Senior Operations Manager for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, said fire crews had surrounded the blaze by about 12.30pm. Crews remain in attendance damping down at the scene.

Appliances from Bradford, Fairweather Green, Idle, Stanningley, Mirfield, Rawdon, Elland, Gipton, Leeds, Odsal, Bingley and Castleford attended the scene.  

Link to report from the incident:  http://www.westyorksfire.gov.uk/news/large-fire-at-industrial-site-sends-smoke-billowing-over-bradford