Taking a trip down memory lane, we look back on an incident that happened 20 years ago on 23 May 2003, at Bartoline in Beverley.
The incident involved a major fire that started in the paint and oil storage tanks in the early morning and was eventually brought under control by our firefighters by 4 pm on the same day.
Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) took charge of the response, which at one point saw in attendance 28 fire engines and 175 firefighters and officers. Thankfully, no casualties were reported. During the peak of the incident, a thick black plume of smoke rose up to 2000 feet into the sky and could be seen from 20 miles away.
Keith Marshall, the Chief Fire Officer of HFRS at that time, informed BBC Look North: "It was a major incident. The concern was that the fire would spread to the adjacent properties, and at one point, that was a real threat. Our crews encountered occasional explosions from cans of oil."
Several staff who attended the incident still serve to this day, including Station Manager Rich Mason, who shares his memory of the day; “I was a firefighter on Green Watch at Cromwell Road Fire Station, Grimsby and we were first sent as standby from Grimsby to Immingham in the morning and could see the smoke from upstairs at Immingham Fire Station when we arrived.
“A few minutes later we were sent to standby at Bransholme and as we approached the Humber Bridge a message went to Control to make pumps (fire engines) 25 so we were assigned to attend the incident.
“After assisting with water supplies, we were sent to Beverley Fire Station for food and as the station was so crowded went to my house nearby for food instead!”
