Volunteers help fire evacuees

Dedicated St John ambulance volunteers rushed in to action at 4.30am this morning (Friday 24 April) to help more than 300 residents evacuated from their homes following a fire in the Talbot Road area of Blackpool.

The blaze started at a construction site of unfinished flats and people living in surrounding properties were evacuated to a rest centre which was immediately set up at Stanley Park Sports Centre.

20 first aiders have been caring for residents throughout the day, treating cases such as someone who suffered an asthma attack and a cardiac patient who has been transferred to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Iain Dow, County Staff Officer for St John Ambulance in Lancashire who helped lead the response from St John Ambulance said. ‘Our volunteers were on the scene from 4.45am and there are still members at the rest centre now (5pm) making sure the evacuated residents are cared for. Local authority and police vehicles evacuated approx 300 people out of the building. Thankfully no one was injured at the scene but we treated 17 people at the rest centre suffering from headaches and general ailments to panic symptoms such as asthma and a cardiac issue which we dealt with alongside North West ambulance staff.

‘People who can’t return have been re-accommodated in hotels and the building is being surveyed now to assess when people may return.

‘Our volunteers responded really quickly – six members were on site within 25 minutes of getting the call in the early hours. Throughout the day new volunteers have arrived to take over from people who have been there for hours and it’s been a real team effort with everyone pulling together.’