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Children throw paving stones at Blackburn firefighters (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Children throw paving stones at Blackburn firefighters
9:20am Saturday 31st October 2009
CHILDREN as young as nine threw broken paving stones at a fire crew in an ‘appalling’ attack.
The group of youths, aged up to 15, hurled the blocks of concrete at a fire engine arriving at the scene of a bonfire in Oxford Close, Audley, Blackburn.
Around eight youths stood around the fire launched the attack before running off. No-one was injured.
A spokesman for the fire service said: “Clearly we are appalled at that sort of behaviour.
“Firefighters are all about saving lives.
“These youngsters don’t even appear to realise that the same appliance and crew could be called away to rescue one of their own loved ones from a car crash or house fire.
“For them to not work that out is behaviour that we utterly condemn, as would many others.”
Crew manager Caroline Sturgess, who was onboard the engine during the attack, slammed the ‘dangerous’ actions of the youths who attacked her crew.
She said: “The blocks were directed at the windscreen and could have injured myself or the driver.
“We want to do a good job and make sure people are safe. We don’t expect to come under attack from those in the local community.”
The fire engine’s CCTV system capture the incident, and police are scouring the footage in a bid to catch those responsible.
Audley ward councillor Salim Lorgat also said the behaviour of the youngster was ‘absolutely shocking’.
He said: “There is a culture developing among some young people of targeting firefighters in a way that would not happen with police officers because they would get arrested.
“But these people have to understand that firefighters are carrying out a duty and making us all safer.
“This behaviour is mindless and completely unacceptable to any right-minded people.”
Damage to the fire engine was restricted to a few scratches and it is still in operational use following the attack on Thursday night.
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Your Say YourTelegraph
brfcianbrfc, blackburn says...
9:53am Sat 31 Oct 09
happycyclist, Darwen says...
9:57am Sat 31 Oct 09
DaveMCFC wrote:Not in our lifetime.
When are we going to wash our hands of the PC brigade, human rights and general do-gooders? These morons need birching.
A couple of years ago some yob hurt himself when he clung onto the back of a fire engine after it had been attending a fire.
There was a review and all the fire engines had to be fitted with safety devices to warn the scumbags that clambering onto fire engines could be dangerous.
The solution to this one will probably be for fire crews to hand out wet sponges to surrounding yobs when attending a fire, to minimise the risk of harm or damage to the fire engine.
The firemen probably have to attend training courses about dealing with this kind of thing passively, in a way that fosters community relations.
Makes you sick, doesn't it? What a sh*ithole of a country we live in.
Totally, Blackburn says...
9:58am Sat 31 Oct 09
DaveMCFC wrote:I'm 100% with you on that Dave. These kids know that their parents aren't going to do anything to them and that the police can't, so where's the deterrent?
When are we going to wash our hands of the PC brigade, human rights and general do-gooders? These morons need birching.
The kids should be punished and so should their parents.
suttydog, accrington says...
1:03pm Sat 31 Oct 09
blkbrn lad, blackburn says...
1:47pm Sat 31 Oct 09
Akki, Accy says...
2:09pm Sat 31 Oct 09
blkbrn lad wrote:100% spot on, this kind of thing is unheard of in more cilivlised eastern countries
should just let the firemen loose on them and give them a good kicking. they wont do it again. i know a fireman and he is hard as nails.
broken_britain, says...
4:21pm Sat 31 Oct 09
gossipgirl123, blackburn says...
9:22pm Sat 31 Oct 09
Fire-Fighters keep up the good work you are appreciated by the decent members of society.
stealer, aspull says...
9:50pm Sat 31 Oct 09
This was done to my 'mam' about 1945! My brother 8 or 9yrs old 'allegedly' stoned a bus,broke a window,was apprehended,name and address taken, fine added to electric or gas bill ! He deserved it, he was what some people might call 'scum'
of the earth
As an aside there is no mention of the danger presented by the fire !
Was a fire engine necessary? I only ask !
anotherview, blackburn says...
10:19pm Sat 31 Oct 09
JohnR1, Darwen says...
10:51pm Sat 31 Oct 09
burner, blackburn says...
8:12am Sun 1 Nov 09
webeatthedingles32, blackburn says...
6:38pm Sun 1 Nov 09
makaveli96, Blackburn says...
6:47pm Sun 1 Nov 09
paolowhite, oswaldtwistle says...
10:13pm Sun 1 Nov 09
stealer, aspull says...
10:37pm Sun 1 Nov 09
Did not one fireman have a mobile phone to capture the event?
I know they are poorly paid but !! Has it not yet appeared on U Tube ?
I think it will die out,as per the fire !
AnthonyUK, Accrington says...
7:56am Mon 2 Nov 09
realist007, blackburn says...
5:54am Tue 3 Nov 09
APPALLED:Firefighter Dave Gilmore with the engine that was attacked
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DaveMCFC, Manchester says...
9:38am Sat 31 Oct 09