Latest news with #fireauthority
The Independent
09-06-2025
- The Independent
House fire that killed girl and father ‘could have been started by tumble dryer'
A house fire that killed a nine-year-old girl and her father in West Yorkshire could have been started by a tumble dryer, a councillor said. An 11-year-old girl has also been left fighting for her life in hospital after the blaze broke out in Heckmondwike on Sunday. Medics tried to save the father's life but he died at the scene in Russell Close, while the nine-year-old was taken to hospital but died later that day. It is believed the girls' mother was away on pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia and returned to the UK on Monday. West Yorkshire Police said it is still investigating the cause of the fire. Darren O'Donovan, a councillor for Dewsbury West and chairman of the fire authority, said the blaze could have been started by a tumble dryer. Mr O'Donovan said: 'It's clearly a tragic event for the family and people that live in that neighbourhood. 'My thoughts and condolences go out to the family and those affected by this. 'We believe that the fire started about an hour before the 999 call came in.' He said early indications suggested 'the fire started in the kitchen area and its ignition source was a tumble dryer.' 'There are a number of tumble dryers that have been recalled by a number of manufacturers,' he added. 'That's the tragedy: this was just a local family on a very regular street in Heckmondwike and a tragic accident has taken place. 'I think the community is rallying and pulling together to support other members of the family and friends that are affected by this.' Councillor Ali Arshad, who represents Heckmondwike on Kirklees Council as a member of the Kirklees Community Independents Group, said the family of the victims were 'absolutely amazing people'. 'They keep themselves to themselves and are always cheery and willing to help', he said. He said: 'I think the key thing is to get the mother and daughter united. That's going to be difficult.' Councillor Viv Kendrick, who represents the Heckmondwike ward, said: 'I'm just horrified for the family and their friends and the local community. 'It's a close-knit community. The people all know each other.' West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said it sent four crews to tackle the blaze, which was reported at around 6am. Det Insp Paul Greatorex, of West Yorkshire Police, said: 'We are continuing to work with colleagues at the fire service to investigate this dreadfully sad incident, which has resulted in a father and daughter losing their lives. 'Extensive inquiries have been ongoing since yesterday and we have been working to locate and support relatives of the victims both here and outside of the UK at what is clearly an awful time for the family. 'While our inquiries remain ongoing, we do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances regarding the cause of the fire and will be preparing a file for the coroner in due course. 'Our support for the family involved clearly also still continues.' Cllr O'Donovan said that the fire and rescue service would have an increased presence in the neighbourhood over the next few days to speak with neighbours about fire prevention measures. He encouraged people to check they had working smoke alarms, a night-time routine which included turning off electrical equipment and closing internal doors and to check the recall lists for tumble dryers from brands including Hoover, Haier, Candy, Lamona, Capel, Baumatic, Montpellier and Iberna.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Feasibility study to look at options for MLFD
Jun. 7—Key points: * Moses Lake officials say city has the option of keeping MLFD as it is, converting it to a municipal fire district or a regional fire authority. * Feasibility study will look at all three options. * Conversion to any fire district would require a public vote. MOSES LAKE — Moses Lake city officials will advertise for a consultant to conduct a feasibility study to determine what changes, if any, would be beneficial for the Moses Lake Fire Department. City officials have been looking at ways to reduce expenses, including a restructuring of the fire department, and Fire Administrator Mike Ganz told Moses Lake City Council members May 23 that his analysis determined the city had three options. "Those three options would be, maintain your current municipal fire department, or option B would be to convert it into a municipal fire district," Ganz said. "There are new laws, one in particular, that would allow the city to convert into a fire district within the city limits. The third option is a more traditional regional fire authority." Council members included $75,000 in the 2025 budget to pay for the feasibility study after the then-interim City Manager Mike Jackson suggested looking at a regional fire authority. "To make a significant impact on your budget, and something we've discussed, would be the formation of a regional fire authority," Jackson said in November 2024. "It is a way to free up millions of dollars to help support other city functions." Ganz said the rules for a regional fire authority would require, among other things, another agency as a partner. A regional fire authority also requires a planning committee. "If you're going to do a feasibility study, I feel like it's really valuable to do a planning committee of stakeholders and just follow that process, whether you're doing the RFA or the municipal district," he said. "I think the benefit and the transparency is going to be the right way to go." Either a regional fire authority or a municipal fire district would require a vote, Ganz said, and in either case, there would be some deadlines city officials would have to meet. City Manager Rob Karlinsey said the rules for a municipal fire district are a little unclear, especially concerning who the governing body actually is. That would have to be clarified, he said. A lot of decisions would be required if council members decided to convert to some kind of district, Ganz said, from transferring equipment to impacts on retirement. Mayor Dustin Swartz asked how many cities in the state have established a municipal fire district. "We'd be the first," Ganz said. In answer to a question from council member David Skaug, Ganz said the laws for a public vote would determine the deadlines for the council to make a decision. Karlinsey cited the example of converting to one kind of fire district or another in 2027. The best time for a vote would probably be the August 2026 election, which means the preliminary work would have to be finished by the first quarter of next year.
