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Northampton fire death at St Crispin retirement village | Northampton fire death at St Crispin retirement village |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Northamptonshire Fire Service is investigating whether an ongoing strike played any part in the death of a woman at a retirement complex. | Northamptonshire Fire Service is investigating whether an ongoing strike played any part in the death of a woman at a retirement complex. |
Fire crews were called to a flat at St Crispin Retirement Village on St Thomas Street, Duston at about 03:05 GMT. | Fire crews were called to a flat at St Crispin Retirement Village on St Thomas Street, Duston at about 03:05 GMT. |
The service said engines were not available to send from the nearest stations because of strike action. | The service said engines were not available to send from the nearest stations because of strike action. |
The chief fire officer said he would be "disappointed" by the 20-minute response time during a non-strike day. | The chief fire officer said he would be "disappointed" by the 20-minute response time during a non-strike day. |
The fire, which was not thought to be suspicious, was in a self-contained flat. | The fire, which was not thought to be suspicious, was in a self-contained flat. |
Thirty other residents were evacuated from their homes and taken to a community centre at the complex. | Thirty other residents were evacuated from their homes and taken to a community centre at the complex. |
Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have been on a four-day strike since Friday evening. | Members of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) have been on a four-day strike since Friday evening. |
Stand-by engine | Stand-by engine |
The fire service said it had been unable to use engines based at The Mounts or Mereway fire stations in Northampton. | The fire service said it had been unable to use engines based at The Mounts or Mereway fire stations in Northampton. |
Three fire crews attended the incident - one using a stand-by vehicle based in Northampton with two others coming from Daventry and Burton Latimer. | |
The service said the call came at 03:05 GMT and the first engine arrived at 03:25 GMT. | The service said the call came at 03:05 GMT and the first engine arrived at 03:25 GMT. |
Martyn Emberson, Northamptonshire's chief fire officer, said: "It is longer than usual because we don't have the same level of resources. | Martyn Emberson, Northamptonshire's chief fire officer, said: "It is longer than usual because we don't have the same level of resources. |
"I would be disappointed by that turnout time if we had been in normal circumstances. | "I would be disappointed by that turnout time if we had been in normal circumstances. |
"We have in place contingency arrangements and we activated those contingency arrangements so the crews dealt with the incident and we responded as quickly as we could." | "We have in place contingency arrangements and we activated those contingency arrangements so the crews dealt with the incident and we responded as quickly as we could." |
Gary Mitchell, vice chairman of the Northamptonshire FBU, said: "The response time shouldn't have been any different whether there was a strike or not, because there was a stand-by vehicle in Northampton and we're told contingency plans were robust. | Gary Mitchell, vice chairman of the Northamptonshire FBU, said: "The response time shouldn't have been any different whether there was a strike or not, because there was a stand-by vehicle in Northampton and we're told contingency plans were robust. |
"Our thoughts are with the victim's family as they are with any tragedy, whether there is industrial action or not." | "Our thoughts are with the victim's family as they are with any tragedy, whether there is industrial action or not." |
The Extracare charitable trust, which runs the retirement complex, said: "We are deeply saddened by this incident. Our thoughts are with the resident's family. | The Extracare charitable trust, which runs the retirement complex, said: "We are deeply saddened by this incident. Our thoughts are with the resident's family. |
"We are also concerned to ensure the welfare of our other residents and staff who are living and working within this village." | "We are also concerned to ensure the welfare of our other residents and staff who are living and working within this village." |
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