Fireworks thrown at crews as Bonfire Night marred by attacks on Northumberland firefighters

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service attended 21 bonfires which were considered to be dangerous – as well as other smaller incidents which included wheelie bin fires, undergrowth fires, rubbish fires and skip fires.

There were also several incidents of anti-social and aggressive behaviour towards crews when attending bonfires, which has been condemned by the service's chief fire officer as ‘unacceptable’.

Paul Hedley, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer, has thanked those residents who took Government advice on board during the pandemic.

But he had a strong message for those causing unnecessary disruption.

A statement from Mr Hedley said: “While many people enjoyed a safe family Bonfire Night, a small minority flouted the lockdown rules and caused disruption and put unnecessary pressure on emergency services who have been working to keep communities safe.

“This is not acceptable, and we will not tolerate attacks on firefighters and we will continue to work with Northumbria Police so those responsible are held to account.”

The majority of residents listened to the Government advice, didn’t have bonfires and stayed home, the service said.

Northumberland’s fire control answered 214 calls compared to 111 on the November 5 last year.

Control teams also answered 19 false alarm calls where no action was needed.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service say they work very closely with other emergency services to promote safety messages so everyone can enjoy a safe and enjoyable evening.

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