Birkenhead firemen receive commendation for stopping petrol station fireball

Jun 30 2010 by Gary Stewart, Birkenhead News

Birkenhead firemen receive commendation for stopping petrol station fireball

A FIRE crew who prevented a Birkenhead petrol station from exploding are to receive commendations for their actions.

The drama happened at a Shell service station on Borough Road, Birkenhead, when a scooter rider kick started his machine and it ignited right next to a petrol pump.

The 22-year-old, who had just paid for his petrol, was engulfed in flames which quickly spread to nearby pumps and then the roof.

Green Watch at Birkenhead Fire Station were on duty at the time, 8pm on Thursday March 4, and were sent to the scene.

Watch Manager Mark Cotsgrave said: “When we first got the call we were told it was a building on fire but on the way we found out it was actually the Shell service station. When we got there the fire was already quite well developed and it certainly had the potential to be an extremely serious situation.”

Mr Cotsgrave added: “We put a water branch on the roof fire and coated the petrol fire in foam.

“We deal with a lot of situations but after this one the lads certainly knew it had been a serious one.”

Mr Cotsgrave retires this week after 31 years as a fire fighter.

Green Watch will receive a Chief Fire Officer’s Commendation later this year, for ‘protecting the public of Merseyside’.