Diary of Events 1948-1999
Diary of Events 1948-1999
1948
April 1st.
At 00.01 hrs West Sussex Fire Brigade was born , only seven hours and fourteen minutes later it answered its first emergency call, to a chimney fire at Horsham.
The first County Fire Officer was Mr A J Bridle, whose brigade consisted of 100 full time and 400 Retained Firefighters housed in 23 fire stations, for administrative purposes the Brigade was split into two divisions, 'A' Division based at Worthing and 'B' Division at Bognor Regis, The Brigade Headquarters was in County Hall in Chichester and Fire Control in Worthing.
April 16th.
The Brigade's first major fire was called at the Keynor Packing sheds, Siddlesham. A large range of wooden thatched farm buildings caught fire when a tractor was being refuelled. Five pumps using eight jets were required to bring the blaze under control.
July 12th.
The Pavilion, Bognor Regis caught fire when a builder left a blow torch unattended, six pumps and a turntable ladder were used to save the building, damage was confined to one tower and part of the roof.
1949
January 1st.
At 18.34 hrs the Brigade received a call to Shoreham Toll Bridge, on arrival they found that a double decker bus had left the road and had crashed into the River Arun, using ropes, ladders and stretchers 11 people were rescued from the overturned bus.
March 20th.
Fire was discovered at 01.15 hrs in the White Heart Hotel, Steyning, Residents and staff all escaped but the building was badly damaged, five pumps a turntable ladder and two salvage tenders attended the call.
April 9th.
Scadgells Depository, Worthing. This large furniture depository was well alight when the brigade was called at 16.17 hrs. At first a pump, a turntable pump and a pump escape were sent, but this was soon raised to five pumps. Three salvage tenders were also called out. Smoke was so dense that firefighters had to use breathing apparatus, the fire was finally extinguished the following morning, damage was confined to the top floor and roof, the salvage operations carried out minimised the damage to the contents of the lower floors.
The Brigade workshops were moved from a small bay at East Preston fire station to larger, but still not perfect, premises at the rear of Chichester fire station.
1950
June 1st.
Fire at 'Holmbush' a children's home at Faygate, started in an outbuilding used as accommodation, five jets were required to quench the fire.
June 27th.
Camelsdale were called out to a dog fallen down a deep well, the Station Officer was lowered down the well and managed to extricate the dog. Unfortunately the dog was found to be dead.
1951
July.
The new single bay fire station at Henfield became operational, replacing the old shed previously used.
August 5th.
A call was received at 12.16 hrs from Ford railway station, two trains had collided. Six pumps and crews with cutting gear were dispatched, with the aid of Police and RNAS personnel from Ford Aerodrome all trapped passengers were quickly extricated. The final casualty roll was 9 dead and 46 injured.
1952
May 16th.
Flynns dye works, Southwick. Excessive heat in an unattached drying cabinet was put down as the cause of this five pump fire, which seriously damaged a large part of the first floor of the building.
1953
May.
The new fire station at East Wittering became operational, the building is a conversion from an older Electricity Board premises.
July 25th.
A call was received at 22.17 hrs to the premises of J Evershed & Sons, Grocers, Provision Merchants and Soap Fat and Bleaching Products Manufacturers. On arrival the crew of the first pump found a stack of 50,000 pallets on fire, and the paint on a tank containing 3,000 gallons of White Spirit was blistering. A further seven appliances were sent before the fire was extinguished.
July.
The new fire station at Billingshurst became operational.
November.
The new fire station at Bosham became operational.
1954
A call was received to a flat in stoke Abbot Road, Worthing. Three appliances were sent from Worthing and a further pump from Lancing was called out, the fire, caused by an over turned oil heater, was quickly put out by means of three hose reel jets and one from a hydrant.
December.
The new fire station at Shoreham By Sea became operational. This station replaced a row of sheds firs occupied as a temporary measure during the war.
1955
The new fire station at Midhurst became operational. It moved from the old town goal site to a new location at the Wharf.
September 6th.
Hampshire fire brigade received a call from a large private house in Lumley, on the Sussex/Hampshire border, they dispatched one pump under the Mutual Assistance Scheme and passed the call on to Chichester, who completed the first attendance with the dispatch of a further pump.
1956
March 20th.
Following the explosion in a Calor Gas cylinder, fire severely affected a large timber shed belonging to the Austin Poultry farm, Fernhurst. 3,000 chicks died in the fire which was put out by crews from Camelsdale.
May 11th.
An RAF Valiant bomber crashed onto the railway line near to Southwick Halt, small fires in 15 properties were dealt with by two pumps fro Shoreham fire station with assistance from East Sussex and Brighton fire brigades.
June.
The new fire station at Crawley became operational. With this manning changed from Day to 24 hour.
1957
The Brigade Workshops moved from the rear of Chichester fire station to a new garage site on St Pancras.
1958
May.
The new fire station at Storrington became operational.
October 14th.
Fire in the premises of Jordan & Cook, bedding manufacturers is dealt with by two pumps from Worthing with the assistance of three further pumps supplied by Lancing and Findon.
1959
September 18th.
Warnham Brick Works, careless use of an oxyacetylene cutter caused a timber building at these premises to ignite. Appliances from Horsham, Billingshurst, Crawley and Henfield attended along with one pump from the Surrey Fire Brigade. Five jets were used to extinguish the fire, but the building was severely damaged.
1960
March 23rd.
At 06.23 hrs a call is received to the Rivoli Cinema, Chapel Street, Worthing. The first attendance pump from Worthing quickly called for assistance as the auditorium was well alight. Pumps are sent from East Preston, Findon, Storrington, Horsham, Shoreham, Lancing and Bognor Regis. The roof of the building had collapsed before the firefighters, wearing 12 sets of Breathing Apparatus and using 11 hose reel jets had extinguished the flames.
1961
February 9th.
Silver Queen Garage, Worthing. On arrival the crew from Worthing found this bus depot to be well alight and quickly make pumps six, two appliances each were sent from Worthing and Lancing and one from East Preston. The building, containing 10 coaches and 10 private cars, was quickly extinquished and damage was restricted to only a part of the roof and a small number of vehicles.
March.
The new fire stations at Steyning and Petworth became operational.
August.
The new fire station at East Preston became operational. Originally a barn, it was successfully converted to a fire station without damaging the effect of the building.
November 29th .
Marine Hotel, Selsey. The officer in charge of the first appliance found the ground and first floors well alight and immediately called for more assistance, two appliances were sent from Bognor Regis, three, including the turntable ladder came from Chichester, and one each from Selsey and East Wittering. After one hour firefighters were withdrawn from inside the building as its condition was becoming dangerous. Eight jets were in use subduing the flames, and because of the strong winds a Land Rover patrolled the are dealing with flying embers, the last crew left the scene late in the evening of the following day, nearly 20 hours after the first attendance.
1962
September.
The new fire station at Partridge Green became operational.
The new Divisional Headquarters and fire station at Worthing became operational.
December 31st.
Pythingdean farm. Fire in a single storey farm building containing seven calves and 45 tons of straw was extinguished by one jet and five hose reel jets by crews from Billingshurst, Storrington and Horsham.
1963
January 4th.
Two firemen with fire fighting equipment were conveyed by RNLI lifeboat to the 'Don Bosco' fishing trawler one mile west of the Owners Lightship in the English Channel. Fire was quickly spreading from the engine room to the timber decking and hull. A further three firemen with Breathing Apparatus were winched onto the deck by RAF helicopter. The naval vessel 'Confience' arrived later on the scene and her crew took over the fire fighting operation. HMS Confience later towed the MV Don Bosco into Southampton Docks.
Work was begun on the new Chichester fire station and Brigade Headquarters on a site at Northgate, Chichester.
1964
March 5th.
Following the collision of two freight trains at Itchingfield Junction, Christ Hospital. Brigade personnel assisted in the rescue of the trapped drivers, unfortunately both men were certified dead at the scene.
December.
The new fire station at Selsey became operational.
1965
June 11th.
The Brigade Headquarters is established in the new Northgate building
November 4th.
At 09.30 hrs the new fire station at Chichester and the new Fire Control became operational at Northgate.
1966
January.
The new fire station at Findon became operational.
Camelsdale fire station closes due to reduced calls and the close proximity of a station in Surrey, Camelsdale's ground was taken over by Midhurst and Petworth.
1967
March.
The new fire station at Arundel became operational.
1968
July.
The new fire station and Divisional Headquarters at Horsham became operational.
1969
March.
The new fire station at Lancing became operational.
July.
The new fire station at Littlehampton became operational.
1970
October 26th.
The new fire station at Midhurst became operational.
1971
Drill towers are erected at Lancing, Littlehampton and Petworth fire stations.
1972
May 31st.
The Brigade's first Chief Officer Mr A J Bridle retires after 24 years and is replaced by Mr Stanley Crook, who is promoted from Deputy County Fire Officer.
1973
Fire at Datsuns, Lancing. The old Lancing Carriage Works, now used as the premises of Datsun UK are seriously damaged by fire, much of the warehouse is destroyed before the fire is put out.
1974
County Boundary changes bring six more fire stations under the control of West Sussex Fire Brigade. They are Retained stations at Turners Hill, Burgess Hill, Keymer and Hurstpierpoint, and the day manning stations at East Grinstead and Haywards Heath.
May 10th.
Beves Timber Yard, Shoreham. Fire involving a large stack of timber, a treatment shed and several tanks containing 1,500 gallons of fuel oil and 4,000 gallons of wood preservatives. The fire was extinguished by the use of ten jets,
One hydraulic platform monitor and foam from three 5X foam branches, twelve pumps, one Hydraulic Platform, two Land Rover appliances, one foam carrier, one Breathing Apparatus control vehicle and a control unit attended the incident.
1975
August 12th.
The Brigade was called to an Emergency Special Service at Shoreham beach, where a 16 year old boy was in danger of drowning whilst being trapped up to his neck in sand and shingle, he had dug a hole in the beach just below the high water mark which the incoming tide had caused to collapse around him. Efforts to release him by Brigade, Police and Ambulance Service personnel by digging and pulling, did not work as new shingle immediately fell back in the hole from the action of the tide. As the water level rose the boy was provided with a Breathing Apparatus set to enable him to breath with his head under water. He was finally extricated with the aid of a mechanical digger and by firemen using a large jet to agitate the shingle and releasing the suction around the boy's body.
December.
The new fire station at Bognor Regis became operational. This replaced an earlier town centre station from which it was difficult to respond to calls during the heaviest part of the tourist season.
1976
June 15th.
Gatwick Airport. The brigade was called to a spillage of ammonia in the cargo hold of a Boeing 707 aircraft, firemen wearing Breathing Apparatus and chemical protection suits were able to access the cargo hold of the aircraft and successfully remove the spillage.
1977
October 27th.
Holmbush House, Faygate. Fire in a large unoccupied house was fought by firefighters wearing Breathing Apparatus, twelve appliances attended the scene and five jets were used to subdue the flames.
November.
Firefighters go on strike for better pay and conditions, Green Goddess fire engines and troops provide fire cover in West Sussex.
1978
January.
The national Fireman's strike is over and the fire service returns to normal.
The Brigade Workshops move from St Pancras in Chichester to a new site at Tangmere, the building is an old RAF stores on the wartime airfield.
August 26th.
At 14.03 hrs the Brigade received a call to the Bognor Regis branch of Woolworth's, smoke issuing. Bognor's retained crew responded to the 'shout', it very quickly became obvious that this was a major fire and help was called for. Twice the attendance was raised, including a call for Worthing's hydraulic platform.
At 14.52 hrs the call was raised to make pumps 20, at the height of the fire up to 35 appliances and over 160 Firefighters were in action. Including relief crews, 70 appliances, some supplied by Hampshire and Surrey Fire Brigades, attended the call before the stop message was sent.
Eleven Firefighters were taken to hospital suffering from minor injuries or exhaustion. Damage was restricted to the Woolworth's building, but at a cost of £2 million.
1979
December 26th.
Southern Hanger, Laker Airways, Gatwick Airport. Fire in this maintenance hanger was fought by crews of four appliances using six jets. Aircraft and buildings close by were kept cool using jets operation from the service roadway.
1980
May 1st.
The spire of the 15th century parish church at Cuckfield was severely damaged by fire, Firefighters from Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath and Horsham using three jets managed to prevent the fire spreading to the roof space, and the Horsham hydraulic platform attacked the spire. Due to the danger of falling embers the spire was allowed to burn down to the level of the roof before being finally extinguished.
1981
July 23rd-24th-25th.
MV Frisian Star, Shoreham Harbour. On the evening of the 23rd of July the MV Frisian Star, Loaded with highly flammable and toxic toluene, menthyl ethyl ketone and Diethanolamine was allowed to enter Shoreham Harbour with a suspected chemical leak in the hold, it was quickly established that toluene was leaking out of several drums and a full scale emergency was declared. Approximately 500 members of the public were evacuated from their homes as the County Fire Officer took charge of the situation.
As well as the Brigade, experts from the Port Authority, Police, Ambulance Service, Chemical Industries Association, Health and Safety Executive, County Emergency Planning Team and the District Council all took their part. The crisis was resolved when bulk nitrogen gas was pumped into the hold to displace the dangerous fumes.
The fire station at Horley was handed over to West Sussex Fire Brigade control, the station had been in West Sussex since the boundary changes in 1974, but protracted negotiations with Surrey County Council had held up the change over until now.
1982
January 27th.
A glider from the Southern Gliding Club, Parham, Came down to rest in an unusual position following a forced landing, balanced between a tree and a 400 volt overhead power line, using ladders and a hydraulic platform Firefighters were able to rescue the pilot and her instructor without further injury.
Fitting out of the new Fire Control building continued through out the year.
1983
February 26th-27th.
The new Fire Control comes on line over this weekend.
September 22nd.
High Street, Crawley. This four pump fire involved a pair of building built in 1,500, converted into seven commercial properties. Using eight Breathing Apparatus sets, four jets and two hose reels this fire was brought under control in just over one and a half hours.
1984
March 5th.
Brigade personnel from Horsham and Crawley released seven cows from a slurry pit in a rescue operation lasting little over two hours.
July 9th.
Chatsworth Hotel, Worthing. The careless disposal of smoking materials caused severe damage to a third floor room in this hotel, Firefighters from Worthing, Lancing and Shoreham using one jet, one hose feel and six Breathing Apparatus sets brought the fire under control in under one hour, ninety eight residents and staff were safely evacuated.
October 12th.
Following the bomb outrage at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, West Sussex Fire Brigade assisted East Sussex with the despatch of four pumping appliances, two hydraulic platforms and a rescue tender.
1985
May 10th.
Fire in a passenger train, Clayton Priory, Burgess Hill. At 02.25 hrs Firefighters from five stations responded with six appliances and a Control Unit to a passenger train which was well alight. Fifteen passengers and the train crew were evacuated without injury, the fire involved the first two carriages of a four coach train. Access was difficult as the railway line was a long way from the road down a dirt track, initially water was ferried using water tenders, later a water relay three quarters of a mile long was set up, the fire was subdued using three jets, two hose reels and six Breathing Apparatus sets.
1986
February 7th.
Sussex Pharmaceuticals, East Grinstead. Fire in the warehouse of this company turned out the major part of the Brigade during the time it took to extinguish. Firefighters from 21 stations along with crews from as far afield as Surrey, East Sussex and Kent attended at various stages of the incident. The fire was eventually controlled by the use of eight jets, four ground monitors and a monitor from a hydraulic platform.
1987
October 28th.
Warnes Hotel, Worthing. The sound of fireworks was heard shortly before fire was spotted in the Warnes Hotel on Worthing seafront, This historic hotel, opened in 1890, was being converted to luxury flats at the time. Firefighters were quickly on the scene, but the fire had already taken a good hold. For three hours 70 Firefighters battled to save the building, however, only the east and south wings escaped, the central wing being totally gutted. The fire required the attendance of 14 pumps and three hydraulic platforms. Firefighters stayed at the scene overnight to tackle any hot spots, some of which were still active two day later.
1988
September 18th.
A light aircraft crashed at Westone Hill near Horsham. Two appliances from Horsham attended the incident and used cutting gear to release the two fatally injured occupants from the wreckage.
1989
August 30th.
Uppark House, South Harting. This incident involved 27 pumping appliances and a number of special appliances, using ten jets, an hydraulic platform monitor and 30 Breathing Apparatus sets, Uppark House, a National Trust property, had been undergoing a major refurbishment when a builder using a blow torch set light to an area inside the roof space. Extensive salvage operations were carried out in conjunction with the firefighting activities and up to 95 per cent of the contents of the public rooms were recovered by the combined efforts of the Brigade and National Trust staff.
1990
November.
Gatwick Europa Hotel. A fire in a partly constructed three storey extension required the attendance of 12 pumps and four special appliances. A water relay supplemented the hydrants necessary to feed the six jets and two hose reel jets used at the incident.
Two Junior Officers were appointed as Schools Liaison Officers this year with the task of teaching schoolchildren the dangers of starting fires.
1991
November.
Hanger No 4 at Gatwick Airport was completely destroyed by fire, ten pumps, a hydraulic platform and a hose layer attended the incident.
1992
Firefighters attended with eight appliances to a thatch fire in Bosham. after two and a half hours, using four jets, four hose reel jets, six Breathing Apparatus and a water relay from two nearby swimming pools the fire was extinguished. Some crews stayed at the scene for the rest of the day damping down.
1993
August 3rd.
The Family Inn, Bognor Regis. This fire was discovered at 02.06 hrs and the first crew found that the fire had trapped seven people on the first floor accommodation, all were rescued from a window by Firefighters and the blaze was extinguished using two hose reel jets and six Breathing Apparatus sets.
December 16th.
Sainsbury Superstore, Chichester. At 14.42 hrs the Brigade received a call from Sainsbury's superstore, within three minutes the first crews were in attendance, as 500 people were evacuated from the front of the premises the Firefighters were faced with thick black smoke issuing from the rear. Whilst the crews attacked the fire with jets and hose reels the officer in charge made pumps six. Breathing Apparatus wearers were committed to attack the fire from inside the building as there was only light smoke at the time, however, only minutes later the fire broke through the roof and dense black smoke filled the premises and the Breathing Apparatus crews were withdrawn.
The rapid spread of the fire required more appliances and Firefighters to assist and the call was raised to pumps 15, this was shortly raised to pumps 25. In addition to the pumping appliances, three hydraulic platforms, two Breathing Apparatus Control vehicles, a foam tender, a control unit and a hose layer were in use along with four hydrants and a pumping water relay from Westhampnett Lake.
The fire was brought under control in only three hours, but it was not until 19.40 hrs that Firefighters were able to enter the building to extinguish pockets of fire. The Brigade maintained a watch for a further two days to ensure that there was no chance of the fire re-igniting.
December 30th-31st.
Heavy rain begins to fall in the south of the county and the brigade responds to several flooding incidents.
1994
January 1st-28th.
The rain continues to fall and at certain times Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and several small villages are cut off. The Army are called in to place temporary bridges over the worst of the flooded roads to allow traffic free movement. On the morning of the 6th of January it was decided that to safeguard the historic city of Chichester a pipeline some three miles long would have to be laid to pump water from the north of the city to the sea to the south, to this end 10 Golden Goddess fire appliances and 1,200 lengths of rigid piping were ordered from the Home Office. That afternoon the River Lavant broke its banks at the rear of Rowe's Garage in Chichester.
Initially 10 pumping appliances were put to work draining flooded cellars, with no appreciable effect on the water level.
Pumping continued through the night and the water level was stabilised, due to the continued bad weather and high water levels a further 10 Green Goddesses and another 1,200 lengths of rigid pipe were ordered. By the evening of the 8th the pipeline was ready and pumping into Chichester Harbour at Fishbourne began. Up to gallons of water a day were pumped from the centre of Chichester.
It was not until the 28th that the pumps were finally turned off.
1995
The Environment Agency donated 48 anti-pollution kits to the Brigade, each kit contains granules and pads which can absorb up to 50 litres of pollutants. Spares for the kits are supplied as required on a free of charge basis.
July 26th.
Bognor Regis railway station was struck by lightning and the roof caught fire. A total of 10 pumps and three specials attended the fire which damaged 90 per cent of the roof and 50 per cent of the ground floor.
1996
May.
Twelve acres of woodland on Tortington common were badly damaged by fire, six appliances attended.
1997
July.
Six fire appliances attended a fire at the McDonalds restaurant, Burgess Hill, at which 24 people were evacuated without injury. Despite two hours' hard work the roof was badly damaged that the whole building was later demolished.
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