Firefighters were called out shortly after 2am this morning when traffic cones were set on fire in Knaresborough.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service believes the fire was caused deliberately.
Its incident log said the Knaresborough crew was summoned to King James Road at 2.13am, adding:
“Knaresborough crew have dealt with traffic cones on fire in the open.
“Crew used buckets of water and the cause is believed to be deliberate.”
No further details have been released.
Four weeks of roadworks began last weekend on King James Road and York Place in Knaresborough to enable Northern Powergrid to install electricity cables.
The junction of the two roads is due to reopen on Monday with four-way temporary lights in place until the expected completion date of Tuesday, June 20.
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Man seriously injured after floor collapses at Harrogate home
A man was taken to hospital via air ambulance today after the floor collapsed at his home near Harrogate.
The man, who has not been named, suffered serious injuries in the fall at West End, Blubberhouses.
Firefighters from Harrogate and Skipton and an incident support unit from Ripon responded to a request for help at 11am.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log said the man had fallen from the first floor to the ground floor due to the floor collapsing. It added:
“Crews created a safe working space to allow paramedics to access the casualty in order to assess his injuries prior to moving him.
“The male casualty was transported to hospital via air ambulance with serious injuries. Crews completed a handover with the occupant of the property and gave advice.”
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Van driver taken to hospital after major crash at Allerton Park
A van driver was taken to hospital after a serious collision with a lorry on the A1(M) at Allerton Park last night.
The crash happened at junction 47 just before 6pm and led to three-mile tailbacks and lengthy delays.
Firefighters from Knaresborough, Harrogate, Ripon and Tadcaster were summoned to help.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log, “a van had impacted the trailer of a HGV and the driver was trapped by the dashboard”.
It added:
“On arrival, crews used cutting equipment, spreaders, rams and a turfer to free the male driver of the van.
“The driver was transported to hospital by road ambulance with a suspected broken femur.”
North Yorkshire Police has not released any information about the incident.
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Pizza box causes house fire in Ripon
Firefighters were called to a house in Ripon today when a pizza box caught fire.
A crew from Ripon was called to an unnamed street in the city just after 9am this morning.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said:
“This was a small fire involving a box left on top of a hob which was accidentally turned on.
“Pizza box was removed to the open by the occupant prior to our arrival.
“Crew used a positive pressure ventilation fan to clear smoke from the property.”
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Swimmers take to Swinsty reservoir as part of mass trespass
Bathers took to Swinsty reservoir on Sunday as part of a mass trespass aimed at promoting the right to swim in UK open waters.
It is illegal to swim in Yorkshire Water-owned reservoirs, including Swinsty.
The company and North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service issued a joint plea on Friday urging people not to enter reservoirs on safety grounds.
Yorkshire Water estimates 277 accidental drownings occurred in 2021, of which five were in North Yorkshire. Eighty-two percent of the 277 fatalities occurred inland, at reservoirs, lakes and rivers.
Ramblers take part in an annual gathering at Kinder in Derbyshire to mark the 1932 protest that established the right to roam.
But swimmers have taken to the United Utilities-owned Kinder reservoir to exercise “the uncontested right to swim in open water” as part of the protest in the last three years following the boom in wild swimming
Swinsty on Sunday. Pic: Len Downes
Sunday’s gathering at Swinsty in the Washburn Valley took place on the same day as the Kinder trespass.
Kate Rew, founder of the Outdoor Swimming Society, told the Stray Ferret:
“We were there and we communicated to our members about it — but no one organised it, it was a happening.”
Pic: Len Downes
Alastair Harvey, lead countryside and woodland advisor at Yorkshire Water, said last week:
“It is vital those visiting our sites stay out of the water, no matter how tempting it may appear. Cold water shock, undercurrents and operating machinery all pose dangers to people deciding to enter the water.”
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said in a statement:
“Reservoirs can be extremely dangerous and swimming in them can soon become serious, or even fatal – even if you are a strong swimmer.”
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Birds’ nest causes freak fire in Green Hammerton
Firefighters were called to Green Hammerton shortly after 8am this morning after a birds’ nest caused a freak fire.
According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log, the nest fell down the chimney of a boiler, which then caught fire when it was lit.
Firefighters used water to extinguish the fire, which was confined to the base of the boiler.
Crews also “gave advice to staff on site”, the incident log added.
It did not say precisely where the incident took place or whether any birds were harmed.
Today also saw firefighters extinguish a small fire in woodland in Ripon at 3.10pm. The fire is believed to have been caused deliberately by youths.
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Harrogate village cricket pavilion destroyed in suspected arson attack
Arsonists are believed to have destroyed a cricket pavilion in a village near Harrogate.
Firefighters from Harrogate and Knaresborough were called to Weeton Lane in Weeton at 8.40pm last night to reports of a shed fire.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log added:
“On arrival this was found to be a wooden cricket pavilion which was completely destroyed. Crews used one hose reel to extinguish the fire.”
The incident log did not give a cause of fire but villagers have reported seeing youths fleeing from the scene.
The cricket club in Weeton folded years ago and the pavilion had fallen into a state of disrepair.
Some frustrated villagers are keen to mount a campaign to restore the site to community use.
Man’s hand burned
In a separate incident later last night, Harrogate firefighters responded at 10.30pm to a smoke alarm going off in a house on Olive Grove in Harrogate.
The incident log said:
“This involved a candle which is believed to have been left unattended, causing smouldering to surrounding surface.
“One male suffered burns to his hand, received treatment from fire crew and will make his own way to hospital. Crew also ventilated property. Burn pack used.”
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Firefighters rescue man retrieving his shoe in Knaresborough
Knaresborough firefighters dealt with an unusual call-out last night when a man ran into problems retrieving his shoe.
The man climbed on to the roof of Knaresborough Community Centre on Stockwell Avenue in pursuit of his footwear.
It is not known how the shoe got there but the person then required help getting down.
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident log said firefighters were summoned at 8.15pm last night. It added:
“Crews from Knaresborough assisted a young male down from the roof of the community centre after trying to retrieve his shoe.
“A triple extension ladder was used.”
Further details about the man, and what happened to his shoe, have not been revealed.
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Police and fire crews rescue homeless man from Starbeck bin
Police and fire crews rescued a man from a commercial bin in Starbeck last night.
Firefighters from Harrogate were called to a premises in the High Street just after 6pm, where they used small tools to release the man.
A spokesperson for Harrogate Fire Station said:
“It was believed to be a homeless person who got himself trapped accidentally when the lid came down and locked.”
Police officers at the scene offered to take the man to a homeless shelter.
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Reduction of Harrogate fire engines based on faulty data, commissioner admits
The decision to reduce Harrogate’s number of nighttime fire engines was based on faulty information, it has been revealed.
North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoe Metcalfe controversially reduced the number of appliances from two to one in her recent three-year fire service blueprint for North Yorkshire.
One of the main concerns during consultation was that if a second fire engine was required to come from Knaresborough in an emergency, it could get held up at Starbeck level crossing.
At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting in September last year, Ms Metcalfe allayed fears by saying firefighters knew the train times and could ring ahead to Network Rail if they needed to cross urgently.
Ms Metcalfe addresses Harrogate Borough Council in September last year.
But in response to a freedom of information request, Ms Metcalfe’s office has now admitted this was “incorrect”.
Tina James-McGrath, a staff member at the commissioner’s office, said the information was provided by a now-retired “member of the senior leadership team” at North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service and it was then “relayed in good faith by the commissioner”.
Ms James-McGrath added:
“It has since transpired as a result of investigating your query further, that the information provided to the commissioner was incorrect.”
She said Harrogate and Knaresborough fire stations “have an awareness of train times, but this can be difficult to predict” and the fire stations “will not call Network Rail when working at an incident on or close to a train line where working crews may be put at a safety risk”.
Ms James-McGrath also acknowledged “ad hoc freight trains also use the line and there is no process for emergency services to phone ahead”.
Starbeck signallers, she added, will delay lowering the barriers when possible “if they do see an emergency vehicle approaching reasonably close to the crossing” but “once the barriers are down the signaller must wait for the train to pass before they can raise the barrier”.
The proposed closure of Bogs Lane and Kingsley Road to through traffic would only add to the traffic at the crossing, she said, adding:
“Network Rail also noted that the traffic flow is at saturation point now and appreciates that the closure of the nearby road is not going to help this or the emergency services.”
‘The difference between life and death’
Pat Marsh, a Liberal Democrat borough and county councillor who raised concerns about Starbeck level crossing with Ms Metcalfe last year, said she was “greatly saddened by the response”, adding:
“I am really worried about the hold-ups that are happening at Starbeck crossing.
“I personally have seen ambulances waiting five minutes for the barriers to lift, this can be the difference between life and death.
“We need everyone round the table ASAP to discuss this very serious issue to ensure the safety of our local residents. People who really know and understand the issues.”
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Paul Haslam, a Conservative borough and county councillor, said:
“The critical issue for me is that Network Rail update the technology at the Starbeck crossing so that the barriers are down for significantly less time which improves traffic flow, reduces idling and makes access easier should we have the misfortune to need the emergency services.
“I have lobbied together with [Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough] Andrew Jones on this for a number of years. It needs fixing! The more voices shouting for this change the better.”
The Stray Ferret asked Ms Metcalfe’s office whether the information about Starbeck crossing was checked and whether she would consider reviewing her decision or agreeing to Cllr Marsh’s request for an urgent meeting but it did not respond.