By Warning issued after Eleanor Street incident
Humberside Fire and Rescue have issued a warning following an incident which occurred last night at the former art college on Eleanor Street.
Emergency services were called to the scene following reports of two children being stuck in the building below a collapsed ceiling.
Fortunately neither of the children were seriously harmed, and two others managed to make it to safety independently.
Sadly, since the closure of the art college the building has become a well-known arson and anti-social behaviour hotspot.
As a result this isn’t the first incident at the site, and authorities are warning that the situation could have been far worse.
Dave Bristow, HFRS Group Manager for North East Lincs, was concerned over the stretch on resources.
He said: “We had three blue light services tied up yesterday evening at a totally avoidable incident.
“The increase in call outs to derelict building fires or rescues is a cause of great concern.
“These buildings are inherently dangerous places for those who may be trapped inside and even for firefighters in the event of a rescue.
“Fire damage and water damage from previous incidents may well have made floors, roofs and stairways structurally unsafe which makes them nothing short of death traps.
“Sending engines to deliberate fires or avoidable rescues anywhere in Grimsby is ultimately taking resources away from where they may be needed elsewhere in North East Lincolnshire.
“I would urge those responsible to stay out of these derelict buildings for their own safety. It is only a matter of time before we are going to be faced with a serious injury or worse.
“I ask that parents and other people who work with children and young people warn them of the dangers they face. Trespassing in derelict buildings could ultimately leave you with a serious injury or even kill you.
“Derelict and abandoned buildings can be dangerous and however much you want to go inside, don’t, it’s not safe.
“Often they’re in a poor state of repair and the floors might be weak or rotted, roofs could collapse at any moment and debris will be lying around or could fall on you from the ceiling.
“Even though a building looks abandoned, it will still have an owner and if you’re on the site without permission you’re trespassing.”
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