Fifty Firefighters Tackle Commercial Garage Fire In Abertillery

At 03:31 on Thursday 24th November, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) responded to an emergency fire call to a commercial garage in Abertillery. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Appliances were mobilised from Aberbargoed, Caerphilly, Rhymney, New Inn, Abertillery, Ebbw Vale, Brynmawr, Blaenavon, Maindee and Whitchurch. On arrival, fire crews were confronted by a well-established fire consisting of 3 units involving a number of acetylene and gas cylinders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ten appliances and approximately 50 Firefighters were committed to fighting the fire. Four ground monitors were used to create a defensive curtain spray while Firefighters, using breathing apparatus and a main jet, battled to get the fire under control and save a third unit against high winds, which hampered operations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Twenty five homes had to be evacuated as a result and Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council Emergency Planning Office arranged for temporary accommodation at a local leisure centre. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Once the fire was extinguished the acetylene and gas cylinders were cooled until deemed safe and the residents were allowed to return to their properties. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Group Manager Owen Jayne, South Wales Fire and Rescue Service said ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Crews worked tirelessly under difficult conditions to tackle the fire and fortunately, no one was hurt. SWFRS are working closely with Gwent Police and partner agencies to determine the cause”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​