How to get rid of house fire smoke

[^woody^]

Not if all the appliances at those local stations are already committed

They were the crews from the three local stations who had the keys and codes in their waggons. No others. Those crews in those waggons from those stations on the call outs I'm referring to, over several years.

 

[noseall]

A friend of mine in the fire service tells me they do consider water pressure etc, when fighting fires. Its not all about wrecking homes with high pressure hoses etc.
They were called to a domestic bonfire, after locals complained that this guy was burning all manner of toxic garbage and not your usual leaves and garden waste.
They gave him advice and carefully doused the fire.
He had the thing fired up again and the complaints started - again.
The crew turned up and doused the fire except this time one of the fire-fighters forgot to turn the pressure down on the hose. Made a wee bit of mess they did. Oops.

 

[Doggit]

Thanks guys. It is a 3 story property, and the fire started next door in the middle flat, where it was contained. It burnt the joists in the ceiling of that flat, but didn't go anywhere else. My windows were open, so obviously I came back to a house that smelt of smoke, but their justification seems to be that because the smoke got up into the top flat, and then into the loft space - even though it was just smoke, and no fire, they had to enter my place, and see if the smoke was up in my loft - which has been converted to a room, so is airtight. As I always have my windows on the latch for ventilation, that's how some smoke blew in.

I can understand some of the comments, but they knew the neighbour the other side of me had called me, and as they had enough time to put a ladder up the back to see if they could get in an open window next door to where the fire was, it wasn't a desperate situation, and they certainly had time to ring me before they broke in - I'd at least have told them to kick the back door in rather than the front one. I think they've reached a stage where they have impunity to do whatever they consider necessary, without thinking of the consequences, or even if it's the right thing to do.

And no, I've got an interlinked smoke alarm, and it wasn't going off, so again, what was their justification.

I'll get some onions tomorrow, then it'll be on to the air freshener

 

[Bosswhite]

Just because a bystander says something a Fire Officer still has to make a life or death decision,
Time and again someone says a property is empty only to find someone is in there
The fact that the windows were open that increases ventilation and fire spread
If I was in charge of that incident I would have done the same and broken in,

Go back to your Insurance Company thats why you pay your premium they will reimburse you and put right any problems, make sure your smoke alarm is working first though !!!!

 

[conny]

I agree completely with Bosswhite. I work with a couple of blokes who are volunteer firemen. One guy has just retired after 39 years service and if you speak to these people you would see their side of things.

One of the things I have learnt is that they don't have the time, or resources, to hang around waiting for someone to come home so they can check their property. Imagine coming home to find your house gutted because the fire service were waiting at another location for someone to be contacted, just so they could make sure next doors house wasn't in danger.

A lot of people will not move over when they see a fire tender/ambulance behind them without their lights flashing but think of this.
If they get bogged down in traffic returning from a 'shout' then the time to reach the next emergency could be increased while they try to return to base. By allowing these people to return to base, or their stand-by point in the case of paramedics, it means they can react quicker to the next emergency. That next emergency could be you.

 

[HawkEye244]

Thanks guys. It is a 3 story property, and the fire started next door in the middle flat, where it was contained. It burnt the joists in the ceiling of that flat, but didn't go anywhere else. My windows were open, so obviously I came back to a house that smelt of smoke, but their justification seems to be that because the smoke got up into the top flat, and then into the loft space - even though it was just smoke, and no fire, they had to enter my place, and see if the smoke was up in my loft - which has been converted to a room, so is airtight. As I always have my windows on the latch for ventilation, that's how some smoke blew in.

I can understand some of the comments, but they knew the neighbour the other side of me had called me, and as they had enough time to put a ladder up the back to see if they could get in an open window next door to where the fire was, it wasn't a desperate situation, and they certainly had time to ring me before they broke in - I'd at least have told them to kick the back door in rather than the front one. I think they've reached a stage where they have impunity to do whatever they consider necessary, without thinking of the consequences, or even if it's the right thing to do.

And no, I've got an interlinked smoke alarm, and it wasn't going off, so again, what was their justification.

I'll get some onions tomorrow, then it'll be on to the air freshener

Phone citizens advice. I know that if the police break into a house they are obliged to make good the damage. Ask what legislation/law permits breaking and entering. It might be one of those implied rights of access, similar to what door step callers/tv licence use, but you can take away an authorites implied right of access which then makes them liable for tresspass. This is not the point though.

Seeing as the fire service were only providing a service in good faith I would find out what your rights are, and I side with you because in fairness you were not the one that called them. If you had I would feel differently. I'm not saying they did wrong, but it's a question of vicarious liability. I would think they carry their own insurance, so I would be guessing but I'd expect you should be able to claim through that.

 

[Bosswhite]

Fire Service personnel may enter premise or a place by force if necessary, without the consent of the Owner or Occupier of the premise or place to extinguish or prevent fire from spreading.
Stopping a Fire Officer from doing his duty can lead to a Fine/Prison Sentence

As said before contact your own Household Insurance Company

 

[HawkEye244]

Fire Service personnel may enter premise or a place by force if necessary, without the consent of the Owner or Occupier of the premise or place to extinguish or prevent fire from spreading.
Stopping a Fire Officer from doing his duty can lead to a Fine/Prison Sentence

As said before contact your own Household Insurance Company

Fair enough.