27/08/2026
Firefighters responding to reports of a rubbish fire in Blakelaw at 21:41 on Wednesday 26 August were subjected to a dangerous and unprovoked attack, with several items, including bricks, thrown at them as they carried out their duties.
The impact of this reckless and unacceptable behaviour extends far beyond the incident itself. Thankfully, no firefighters were injured however the appliance sustained significant damage which meant it had to be taken off the road temporarily and left the service without a vital frontline resource.
Every fire appliance plays a crucial role in protecting our communities, and when one is unavailable it places additional pressure on neighbouring crews and can increase response times to other emergencies.
Senseless acts of vandalism such as this can have very real consequences for both our staff, and the community.
🗣 Chief Fire Officer Stewart Nicholson said:
"An attack on our firefighters is an attack on the communities we serve.
Our crews responded to what was reported as a rubbish fire with the sole intention of protecting people and keeping our community safe. Instead, they were subjected to an unacceptable and dangerous assault where bricks were thrown at them and their appliance.
While I am relieved that no one was injured, the impact of these incidents cannot be underestimated. The damage caused meant a fire appliance had to be taken off the road, leaving us with one less resource available to respond to emergencies. This can result in delays to attending other incidents where people may be in urgent need of our help.
Our firefighters are ordinary people doing an extraordinary job. They are mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters who should never face violence simply for carrying out their duties.
Anyone with information about this incident should come forward. Attacks on emergency service workers are completely unacceptable and those responsible must be held accountable."
We all have a role to play in preventing incidents like this from happening. Residents can help by ensuring wheelie bins and other combustible materials are properly secured and not left where they can be targeted for anti-social behaviour. We also strongly encourage people to report fires, anti-social behaviour and any concerns in their area as soon as possible. By working together, we can help reduce these incidents, protect our communities and keep firefighters safe while they serve the public.
Anyone with information can contact FireStoppers anonymously on 0800 169 5558.
