Synopsis
Brief Synopsis
A firefighter (Ff) died due to the injuries sustained following the collapse of the floor (House & Settle, 2016).
During damping down procedures, a Ff fell approximately 40ft to his death, it is understood, from the 3rd floor. He was last seen at around 06:30 on the 3rd floor trying to reach areas where the fire was still burning. After being told to ‘knock off and take some hot tea’ he apparently, instead of doing this, tried to find a way to the still burning fire pockets and fell through the ‘badly burned floor-timbers to the ground floor below’. The Ff was found at around 08:00 by a Station Officer (StnO) below where he had last been seen damping down (Unknown Author, 1955).
The fire was bought under control on the 6th of March with nearly 100 Ffs in attendance at the peak of the incident. The mill was destroyed (Unknown Author, 1955). The fire was at one time attended by ‘100 firemen from Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire and Derbyshire’ (Unknown author 3, 1955).
Wellington Mill fire believed to be taken between 4th and 5th March 1955. Image by Clifford Ashton, from Fireflash Delta (Price, unknown date).
Wellington Mill fire believed to be taken between 4th and 5th March 1955. From Unknown author, 1955.
Further information hoping to be identified and still to be located.
Main findings, key lessons & areas for learning
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Fire & Rescue Service summary of main findings, conclusions, key lessons & recommendations
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FBU summary of main findings, conclusions, key lessons & recommendations
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Other report summary of main findings, conclusions, key lessons &recommendations
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IFE Commentary & lessons if applicable
None produced at this time.
Known available source documents
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FRS Incident Report/s
No information identified to date and/or still to be located.
FBU Incident Report/s
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Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Incident Report/s and/or improvement notices
No information identified to date and/or still to be located.
Greater Manchester Police Incident Report/s
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North West Ambulance Service Incident Report
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Building Research Establishment (BRE) Reports/investigations/research
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Coroner’s report/s and/or Rule 43 and/or Regulation 28 Notices etc
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Dear Chief Officer Letters (DCOL), FRS Circulars, FRS Notices and/or Bulletins etc and/or Related Government Correspondence
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Notifications from National Operational Learning User Group (NOLUG) and/or Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Principles (JESIP)
No information identified to date and/or still to be located.
Other information sources
House, A. & Settle, P. et al. (2016). The firefighter memorial trust book of remembrance. [Online]. Available at; http://www.theonlinebookcompany.com/OnlineBooks/FirefighterMemorialTrust/Content/Filler [Accessed 20th September 2017]. The Firefighters Memorial Trust.
Note. With the above source reference, it is not currently possible to link directly to the relevant page of the memorial book.
Price, N. (unknown date). Clifford Canby Ashton ~ photographer ~ 28 August 1913 ~ 2 June 2008 a tribute, page 46 [online] Available at; http://www.fireflash-delta64.co.uk/cca46.html [Accessed 1st June, 2017].
Unknown Author. (1955). Fireman’s fatal fall while damping down. Fire. (April). Page 236
Unknown Author 2. (1955). Killed on duty. Fire. (May). Page 261
Unknown author 3. (1955). 21 families leave homes: hundreds of watchers. Believed to be The Yorkshire Post. (7th March). Unknown page number. Courtesy of Bob Bonner and the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum.
Unknown author 4. (1955). Yorks woollen mill inferno turns night into day. Believed to be The Yorkshire Post. (7th March). Unknown page number. Courtesy of Bob Bonner and the Greater Manchester Fire Service Museum.
Further information hoping to be identified and still to be located.
Service learning material
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Videos available
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