'The only thing that can save us is the rain...' Battling Bonfire Night mayhem with Manchester's firefighters
manchestereveningnews.co.ukIt was quiet in Gorton Fire Station. And then the alarm went off. Very quickly, three men and one woman spring into action. They fly down the pole, throw on fire tunics, and brief themselves on the next incident.
It could be a wheelie bin smouldering, or a tower block alight. That uncertainty is part of the job. But what shouldn’t be part of the job is the amount of unnecessary calls out — down to anti-social behaviour, commercial waste burning, and unsafe bonfires.
And yet, this is the reality of Bonfire Night with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service. READ MORE LIVE: Bonfire Night celebrations across Greater Manchester with fireworks and events READ MORE: Tactical Aid units descend on bonfire with '30 people' as police 'attacked' with fireworks This year, the Manchester Evening News was invited to spend the evening with crews from Gorton Fire Station.
From 5pm to 10pm, our reporter, Ethan Davies, joined two shifts on eight calls. The first was called in as a large bonfire in Clayton.
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