Pictures
11 April 2006
Three construction workers were injured on Tuesday (11 April) when scaffolding collapsed at the site of the nearly completed 14-storey Jury's Inn Hotel in Midsummer Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes, at its junction with Witan Gate. One died in hospital from his injuries three days later
They were rescued at about 1.26pm by firefighters from Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service, working with their colleagues from Two Shires Ambulance Service. The rescuers have been widely praised by Fire Authority Chairman Cllr David Rowlands and Assistant Chief Fire Officer Des Williamson - both of whom were at the scene. The incident is also noteworthy because of the enormous contribution made by Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's Beaconsfield-based Search and Rescue unit with its specialist crew and equipment, supplemented by Search and Rescue dogs Gemma and Morse.
The first crews at the scene were firefighters from three of our Milton Keynes stations, who carried out the initial rescue. This involved locating the three seriously injured workmen, who were near the top of a large pile of fallen planks, scaffolding and rubble which was surrounded by hanging debris, making their way as carefully as possible over it and carrying them to safety.
They then scanned the area with thermal imaging cameras to see if they could locate any other people.
“With very little time to think, they made the decision that the chances of carrying out a successful rescue outweighed the risks of injuring themselves in the process,” said Assistant Chief Fire Officer Des Williamson.
“This enabled us to hand over the injured people to paramedics with the minimum of delay so that they were immediately able to start receiving expert medical care and attention.
“It is easy to take this sort of dedication to duty, and commitment to saving lives, for granted. Our firefighters constantly have to rise to this sort of challenge and I would like to thank them and congratulate them for what they did.”
The firefighters then acted as the Search and Rescue team’s eyes and ears by adopting the role of safety officers while the Search and Rescue unit members crawled through the scaffolding looking for gaps and voids where other injured people might be. They kept an eye out for hanging debris that was in danger of falling – a real risk bearing in mind that it was a windy day and that a sudden gust could have brought more scaffolding down – and listened for any noises which might warn of a further collapse.
The Search and Rescue team used special cameras – Searchcams mounted on six-metre telescopic poles, and bendable Snake Eye cables – both of which relay pictures to screens monitored by colleagues.
USAR Advisor Neil Boustred said: “We believe that as a result of the initial rescue and search carried out by firefighters, and the search carried out be the Search and Rescue team, about 70 per cent of the debris was thoroughly checked.
“The remaining 30 per cent was so tightly packed with scaffolding and debris that we do not believe it had any survivable voids in it.
“This is where the Search and Rescue dogs really came into their own, as they were able to check this remaining area for scent.”
Neil added: “It was absolutely vital that the firefighters and Search and Rescue team worked side by side. This enabled Buckinghamsire Fire & Rescue Service to provide a complete package of emergency services at an incident requiring high levels of complex and expert assistance.”
The team was formed in October 2005 to strengthen our capability to deal with incidents involving structural collapse, terrorism and major transport incidents.
We received the first of 12 calls to the incident at 12.37pm. The first fire engine and crew, from Great Holm, arrived at 12.43pm, closely followed by crews from Broughton and Newport Pagnell. A further fire engine and the Search and Rescue unit were mobilised very soon afterwards, and at 12.51pm four more fire engines and two aerial appliances (turntable ladders) were called for. There were around 60 fire and rescue staff at the scene at its peak.
During the course of the afternoon, Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service was represented by crews from Great Holm, Broughton, Newport Pagnell, Bletchley, Olney, Winslow, Buckingham, Beaconsfield (Search and Rescue) and staff and officers from Aylesbury, including: Des Williamson, Senior Divisional Officer Bryan Dugdale and David Rowlands, who happened to be on their way to a meeting in a nearby office; Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's Command and Control Unit; and the Canteen Unit.
We also had support from Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire (Search and Rescue dog and handler) and a Search and Rescue dog and handler from Rapid UK. Chief Fire Officer Damian Smith even rang in from the Czech Republic, where he is on holiday, for an update.
The Search and Rescue unit carried out a number of searches as a precaution to check that there were no further casualties. We understand the three men who were taken to hospital all had a satisfactory night.
All movements of Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service staff and vehicles were co-ordinated by our Control Room in Aylesbury. While the incident was at its peak, the Control Room received seven further emergency calls to incidents in Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes. One was to a suspected deliberate fire at a garage in nearby Bradville at 4.50pm, which was a drain on emergency service resources. A retained crew from Great Holm, and a crew from Aylesbury who were on standby at Great Holm, attended.
Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service's presence was scaled down at about 9pm but we remained there with Thames Valley Police throughout the night, providing lighting to help the police keep the area secure.
Des Williamson has thanked all fire and rescue staff - and our colleagues from the other emergency services - for their rapid and professional response and painstaking efforts.