Boothferry fires: Attacks put crews under 'great strain'

A bus shelter in Gower Park, west Hull, was set alight on Halloween night

Gangs of youths on a city estate have put firefighters under "great strain" by attacking them and damaging their equipment, a senior officer has said.

The warning from Humberside's chief fire officer Chris Blacksell follows a spate of wheelie bin blazes in the Boothferry estate area of Hull.

He said concerns were growing that gangs were starting fires to lure crews to the area so they could attack them.

During one call-out a hose was cut with a knife, the fire service said.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service said they were being called to the estate daily, and sometimes several times a day.

The latest incident involved a large group of youths torching stolen wheelie bins in a bus stop on Gower Road on Sunday night.

Chief Fire Officer Chris Blacksell said attacks on firefighters should never be accepted as just part of the job.

"One attack is too many," he said. 

"Our staff live in the communities they help to keep safe and when they experience physical and verbal abuse it's really disheartening.  

"No-one wants to go to work and be worried about being attacked."

Crews have been attacked with bricks and bottles according to Humberside Fire and Rescue Service

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, figures from from the fire service show there have been 31 attacks on crews so far this year, including verbal and physical attacks and stones, bricks, glass bottles and other objects being thrown at them and their engines.

"It's always busy for the fire service at this time of year, now this area has been added to our list of problem areas," a fire service spokesperson said.

"Our crews will endeavour to be more visible in the area, but the danger is they could become moving targets.

"We've got large groups of youths trying to get up close and personal with crews while they're trying to put out fires.

"All of this puts a great strain on our crews, especially as we approach bonfire night when they will already be stretched as it is."