Firefighters have returned to work today after a 24-hour strike which saw 20 separate incidents reported across Wiltshire.

These included five small fires, four further fires that were out on arrival, five automatic fire alarms, three false alarms, two forced entries and a co-responder call, where firefighters provided assistance to South Western Ambulance Service.

Crews at ten of Wiltshire’s 24 fire stations were unavailable to respond to incidents during the strike, but the service had contingency plans in place to maintain cover across the county using on-call firefighters and alternative locations.

All crews returned to duty at 9am this morning.

Further industrial action is planned from 10am to 5pm on Saturday 21 June.

 

Incidents attended over the 24 hours were:

• A bin fire at the Orbital Centre, Swindon that was out on arrival (attended by an officer)

• An automatic fire alarm at a premises in Salisbury, attended by a crew from Wilton

• A bonfire that had got out of control in Salisbury, attended by a crew from Amesbury

• A car fire on the M4 that was attended by crews from Malmesbury and Corsham

• A smell of gas at Rowde School that was a false alarm with good intent, attended by a crew from Devizes

• A report of smoke in Marlborough that was a false alarm with good intent, attended by a crew from the town

• A fire involving a small amount of rubbish in Toothill that was out on arrival, attended by a resilience crew from the Swindon area

• An automatic fire alarm in Chippenham, attended by a crew from Corsham

• A fire in a waste compactor at a premises in Royal Wootton Bassett, initially attended by a crew from Bassett and a resilience crew from the Swindon area

• A fire involving a gas cylinder in a Warminster garden, attended by a crew from Westbury

• A car fire in Dorcan that was out when the crew from Cricklade got there

• A small fire at Malvern Tyres, Trowbridge, attended by a crew from Bradford on Avon and a resilience crew operating from the Melksham area

• Rescuing someone locked inside their car in Salisbury – attended by a crew from Wilton

• A tent fire in woods in Chippenham, attended by a crew from Corsham

• Two automatic fire alarms in Swindon, both attended by the Swindon area resilience crew

• A smell of gas in Barford St Martin, which was a false alarm with good intent, attended by a crew from Wilton

• A co-responder call in Royal Wootton Bassett, attended by a crew from the town

• Helping a care worker locked out of a building in Marlborough, attended by a crew from the town