FIRE ON HOLY ISLAND

At 7.35pm Humber Coastguard was contacted by North Eastern Ambulance Service requesting assistance in dealing with a report of a fire at a house on Holy Island, Northumberland.

Humber Coastguard requested the rescue helicopter from RAF Boulmer and sent Coastguard Rescue Teams from Holy Island and Seahouses.  The rescue helicopter transferred nine Northumberland Fire and Rescue Officers and a member of the ambulance crew to the island as the causeway from the mainland was closed.

Officers at the scene reported that the fire had started in a three bedroom cottage and was at risk of spreading to a neighbouring home, which was prevented by a group of islanders who attempted to contain the fire with their own extinguishers.  One local resident had entered the property to rescue a trapped dog and ambulance crew are checking the man for potential smoke inhalation.

Graham Dawson, Watch Manager at Humber Coastguard says,
“This was a multi-agency response to an isolated location as the only connection to the mainland is a causeway, which was underwater this evening.  HM Coastguard’s involvement was to coordinate the transfer of the right personnel over to the island by helicopter and help with evacuation of residents close to the scene.  Our Coastguard Rescue Teams both on the island and on the mainland secured the helicopter landing sites.”

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