City fire crew petrol bombed

Oct 11 2007 by Mary Murtagh, Liverpool Echo

FIREFIGHTERS were petrol bombed by a gang of Liverpool yobs while on a 999 call.

The crew from Belle Vale station were called to a rubbish fire in Caldway Drive in the early hours of yesterday morning.

When they got there a gang started pelting the vehicle with missiles, including a petrol bomb. The attack happened on a main road at 1.32am.

The yobs also tried to set fire to a nearby housing office.

Fire officials have issued an urgent warning to all firefighters across Merseyside advising them to be on their guard when attending calls.

Union officials say crew members could have been badly injured or killed.

One firefighter said: e just don’t need this, specially with bonfire night coming up.

“The public need to know the kind of thing that we have to put up with when we are just trying to do our job.”

The petrol bomb attack came 36 hours after vandals smashed the windscreen of another fire engine lured to a bin fire in Lingham Park, Moreton, Wirral.

A gang of about 20 teenagers hurled stones at the engine while the crew were trapped inside.

A Merseyside fire and rescue service spokesman said: “There is a small minority who continue to put the lives of crews and the public at risk by attacking them while they are carrying out their work.

“This will not be tolerated and there will be joint operations with the police to address it.”

Fire Brigades Union spokesman Mark Dunne said the Belle Vale attack may have been premeditated.

He said: “This was a violent incident and one of the worst in a long while.

“It could have injured or killed one of the crew who responded. Our members expect to be protected and looked after by the public.

“We don't expect to be shot at, bricked and petrol bombed.

“The job we do involves enough chances to be injured without worrying about violent attacks.”

Ian Roche, acting police superintendent for Liverpool south, said: “We are following various lines of inquiry and examining CCTV and forensic evidence.

“Patrols in the area have been stepped up but I would reassure the community that we have not had any rise in incidents like this in the area.”