This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/wales/7324444.stm
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 8 | Version 9 |
---|---|
'Substantial damage' of blaze HQ | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
North Wales Police say parts of its headquarters in Colwyn Bay have suffered "substantial damage" in a fire which broke out in the roof. | |
One contractor working at the building, which is currently being refurbished, was treated for smoke inhalation after the fire which began at 1130 BST. | |
One hundred and fifty police, civilian staff and contractors were ordered to leave while the blaze was put out. | |
A joint investigation with the fire service is under way. | |
Firefighters used two aerial platforms to fight the blaze and crews from Abergele, Conwy, Llandudno and Colwyn Bay were involved. | |
People in the Min y Don area of Old Colwyn were urged to keep their windows closed because of the smoke. | |
'Largely unaffected' | |
The blaze was finally put out at 1447 BST, but two fire appliances remain at the scene. | |
The injured worker was involved in the refurbishment of the premises. | |
Contractors had been working on the roof during the morning. | Contractors had been working on the roof during the morning. |
Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom who was working out of the force area on Tuesday said he was pleased everyone was evacuated safely. | |
He said he was in close contact with Assistant Chief Constable Ian Shannon who is in charge. | |
Mr Brunstrom said policing "has largely been unaffected by the fire". | |
The fire at North Wales Police HQ Your pictures of the fire | The fire at North Wales Police HQ Your pictures of the fire |
The force said damage to parts of the HQ is "substantial" and most of the older parts will be out of action "for a number of weeks". | |
The first task will be to make the roof from which smoke and flames billowed watertight. | |
A force spokesperson said an inspection of the roof was ongoing and the Health and Safety Executive has been informed. | |
Security at the building will be increased as a matter of course, he added. | |
Plans are also being made to relocated people working in the building which opened in 1974. | |
'Very alarming' | |
ACC Ian Shannon said: "North Wales Police continues to function and we continue to provide a full policing service to the people of north Wales." | |
Retired policeman David Curtis, 61, was working in the garden of St John's Church, some half a mile away, described seeing the plumes of smoke. | |
"We could see flames on the roof and then the wind shifted and you couldn't quite see because of the smoke. | |
"It was very alarming. I used to work in the police headquarters. I was concerned for the people who work there and for the building itself. | "It was very alarming. I used to work in the police headquarters. I was concerned for the people who work there and for the building itself. |
Bethan Lloyd was working in the adjacent civic offices when the fire broke out. | |
"I was leaving the office to go out on a call and I saw this huge, thick, black cloud of acrid smoke, " she said. | |
"All I could see was flames coming from the roof." | |