Fire at University of York (From York Press)
Get in touch: send your photos, videos, news & views by texting YORK to 80360 or send an email»
Fire at University of York's chemistry department
9:40am Friday 3rd February 2012 in News
Updated: HUNDREDS of people were evacuated as firefighters tackled a major blaze at the University of York.
The alarm was raised at about 12.45pm yesterday when smoke was spotted coming from the roof of the chemistry department at Alcuin Way, which houses teaching laboratories.
Eleven fire crews and an aerial ladder platform were called to the scene and remained there for most of the afternoon as firefighters tackled the flames and investigated the cause of the fire.
The blaze is believed to have started in a cabinet or fume cupboard in the chemistry block. A university spokesman said the site’s safety procedures were put in place.
Firefighters opened up a large area of the roof as they tackled the flames.
Trevor Lund, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service's fire investigation and press liaison officer, told The Press: "There was smoke issuing from the roof. On arrival the fire fighting appliances took action on the first floor dealing with a fire in the fume vent system."
He said the investigation was in the preliminary stages but said: "There are some quite challenging chemicals in the building and we are working to make sure that it is in a safe condition."
He praised staff at the university, saying they had isolated most of the major fire risks and given firefighters clear details on the building's lay out and the risks involved.
A University spokesman said emergency procedures had been activated and everyone was evacuated safely.
He said: “North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attended very quickly and we would like to thank them for the excellent job they did in dealing with the incident. They were assisted by Chemistry staff and the University’s Health & Safety team.”
He said the loss of electricity affected 144 student bedrooms as well as the chemistry department and said alternative accommodation and food would be provided to any students still without power tonight.
He added: “Investigations into the cause of the fire are continuing and the University is working to provide alternative teaching laboratories.”
Firefighters from York, Acomb, Huntington, Selby, Easingwold and Tadcaster were called to the scene.
Matt Davey, 18, a first-year chemistry student, said his lessons in the building this afternoon had all been cancelled.
He said: “We heard it might be something to do with the roof. There were second year chemistry students in there having lectures at the time.”
Video: Tom Herbert
Comments(35)
Alpha Kenny Thing
says...
5:51pm Thu 2 Feb 12
York_Arch_Stud wrote:Please tell me you are not a university student!
I'm really glad me and my friend Kelly were in Seminars in King's Manor when this happened, she lives in Alcuin so it means she was safe
keepitshut
says...
6:01pm Thu 2 Feb 12
keepitshut
says...
6:01pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Mark_Chemist
says...
6:21pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Good to see how well-handled the incident was by NYFRS and the Chemistry department.
ouseswimmer
says...
6:26pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Mark_Chemist
says...
6:37pm Thu 2 Feb 12
ouseswimmer wrote:Can you imagine how much one in every area the size of Fulford would cost to maintain: extra station houses, etc!
The American system of fire engines spread around a city would have led to a far quicker response time. ONe engine in Fulford would have arrived 3-5 mins earlier.
Considering how few serious incidents are, it surely is not worth the expense of that. Larger incidents, a few minutes delay is probably not significant, as time has to be taken to assess the situation before action can be taken.
Hollywood Star
says...
6:42pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Please just be thankful that the fire engines arrived promptly, put out the fire and noone was injured. END OF !!!
DavidRicardo72
says...
8:17pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Hollywood Star wrote:well said
Can people on here, just for once, not criticise everything.
Please just be thankful that the fire engines arrived promptly, put out the fire and noone was injured. END OF !!!
Jazzper
says...
8:32pm Thu 2 Feb 12
DavidRicardo72 wrote:I'll second that !!
Hollywood Star wrote:well said
Can people on here, just for once, not criticise everything.
Please just be thankful that the fire engines arrived promptly, put out the fire and noone was injured. END OF !!!
MaisieMol
says...
9:25pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Alpha Kenny Thing wrote:Alpha Kenny Thing you are clearly a troubled soul. Did you know that many exceptionally bright and creative people possess poor grammar and spelling skills. You're obviously not in that league. You're in the league of the irreversibly average, who boost their egos by hanging around the pages of a parochial press waiting for someone to slip up grammatically. It was, in this case, particularly unfair given that York Arch Stud was simply expressing relief at the safety of his (?) friend. Shayme on you.
York_Arch_Stud wrote:Please tell me you are not a university student!
I'm really glad me and my friend Kelly were in Seminars in King's Manor when this happened, she lives in Alcuin so it means she was safe
EveEngels
says...
9:28pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Dr_Parmo
says...
9:46pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Dr_Parmo
says...
9:50pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Health and safety at its finest!
EveEngels
says...
9:53pm Thu 2 Feb 12
saxy12
says...
10:00pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Back and Beyond
says...
10:00pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Dr_Parmo
says...
10:10pm Thu 2 Feb 12
saxy12 wrote:YOU! LEAVE HUNTINGTON ALONE!
How come the fire cheif (Nigel Hutchinson) and the fire authority for North Yorkshire fire and rescue service can justify (In forthcoming plans) ONLY 1 fire appliance to cover York City centre and surrounding areas!!! How ridiculous is it to move the second fire appliance along with the turn table ladder to Huntington, meaning Huntington Firestation will have 2 fire appliances and a turn table ladder!!! LEAVE YORK FIRE STATION AS IT IS!!! surely today proves it!!!!
Buzz Light-year
says...
11:44pm Thu 2 Feb 12
weggers
says...
11:58pm Thu 2 Feb 12
ouseswimmer wrote:hi ouseswimmer, i think your comment is wrong.... the police station comes out of Fulford....and their response time is diabolical.. maybe with the fees that the uni charge they could maybe afford their own fire brigade, seen as so the uni is growing at such an extreme rate.
The American system of fire engines spread around a city would have led to a far quicker response time. ONe engine in Fulford would have arrived 3-5 mins earlier.
saxy12
says...
7:52am Fri 3 Feb 12
Dr_Parmo wrote:I live in Huntington and have no problem with it, I just think it makes more sense to have more fire engines in York city centre where the heritage is, than move Fire engines to the outskirts enhancing a longer response time to city centre emergencies.
saxy12 wrote: How come the fire cheif (Nigel Hutchinson) and the fire authority for North Yorkshire fire and rescue service can justify (In forthcoming plans) ONLY 1 fire appliance to cover York City centre and surrounding areas!!! How ridiculous is it to move the second fire appliance along with the turn table ladder to Huntington, meaning Huntington Firestation will have 2 fire appliances and a turn table ladder!!! LEAVE YORK FIRE STATION AS IT IS!!! surely today proves it!!!!YOU! LEAVE HUNTINGTON ALONE!
xtc
says...
8:46am Fri 3 Feb 12
Shouter
says...
9:01am Fri 3 Feb 12
MaisieMol
says...
9:08am Fri 3 Feb 12
xtc wrote:Ah, more student bashing from the bumpkins. You gotta love York.
The fire service could do what the ambulance crews do and just park up in areas of the city,on shifts and therefore no need for new stations etc,fire probaly caused by student with no common sense i nearly run em down daily crossing heslington road and retreat entrance not looking!the future of our country ....god help us.
jmumof3
says...
9:23am Fri 3 Feb 12
sheps lad
says...
2:29pm Fri 3 Feb 12
long distance depressive
says...
2:45pm Fri 3 Feb 12
topumpire1
says...
3:23pm Fri 3 Feb 12
Refereing to xtc, 1) there are many more ambulances & 2) they receive far more calls, so no it would not work! There are some days, when FRS may get no real calls, whilst Ambulances usually at least get calls to assist GPs transfer patients to hospital.
ReginaldBiscuit
says...
3:39pm Fri 3 Feb 12
Discuss.
Mark_Chemist
says...
4:09pm Fri 3 Feb 12
Dr_Parmo wrote:Hmmm, well, fume cupboards don't usually store chemicals- they are there for point of use or dispensing.
*clap clap* and Well Done! to the members of the Universities health and safety team and the chemistry staff for allowing all those dangerous chemicals to be kept in the same cabinet!
Health and safety at its finest!
Bulk stores are not kept in the labs, with only ready-to-use reagents out. Otherwise, all chemicals are stored correctly, in accordance to guidance and legistlation.
Perhaps you need to visit a lab at some point to find that out?
Omega Point
says...
4:38pm Fri 3 Feb 12
xtc wrote:Did you type this on a mobile phone wearing a boxing glove?
The fire service could do what the ambulance crews do and just park up in areas of the city,on shifts and therefore no need for new stations etc,fire probaly caused by student with no common sense i nearly run em down daily crossing heslington road and retreat entrance not looking!the future of our country ....god help us.
Before knocking other people take a look in the mirror
labtechz
says...
6:26pm Fri 3 Feb 12
The poster that criticised the uni. for keeping dangerous chemicals "in the same place" obviously knows little about chemical storage. It is the most sensible thing to keep hazardous chemicals locked in a secure store, it just isn't possible to give every bottle/container its own separate store room, and it is usual for a strict storage regime to be in place so that the effect of an accident is minimised. The only thing we know for sure about this fire is that smoke was seen coming from the roof. W don't have any reliable evidence of the cause, or even that it started in the chemistry dept. Perhaps The Press would like o investigate further ?
OwenC
says...
7:07pm Fri 3 Feb 12
MaisieMol wrote:LOL! Bullseye!
Alpha Kenny Thing wrote:Alpha Kenny Thing you are clearly a troubled soul. Did you know that many exceptionally bright and creative people possess poor grammar and spelling skills. You're obviously not in that league. You're in the league of the irreversibly average, who boost their egos by hanging around the pages of a parochial press waiting for someone to slip up grammatically. It was, in this case, particularly unfair given that York Arch Stud was simply expressing relief at the safety of his (?) friend. Shayme on you.
York_Arch_Stud wrote:Please tell me you are not a university student!
I'm really glad me and my friend Kelly were in Seminars in King's Manor when this happened, she lives in Alcuin so it means she was safe
Dr E.R.Maert
says...
9:15pm Fri 3 Feb 12
dicko 818181
says...
12:42am Sat 4 Feb 12
York_Arch_Stud says...
5:29pm Thu 2 Feb 12