Janice R. Andrews
Late on Thursday night, October 17, a large industrial fire broke out off the A31 close to Sturminster Marshall, triggering a big fire department reaction around the county.
Around 8 PM, about 45 firefighters were sent to the Dorchester Road incident, where smoke and flames were engulfing the area.Wimborne fire station personnel evaluated the situation and concluded that there was a safety risk, thus they had to close the A31.
In order to control traffic, police stopped the route between Winterborne Zelston and Winterborne Tomson.The investigation into the cause of the fire is anticipated to start later today, however emergency personnel stayed on the scene until the early hours of Friday, October 18. Thankfully, the smoke has cleared, and there is no longer any damage to the A31.
A prime example of the community’s solidarity throughout the crisis was the accommodation of locals who had been displaced by the fire in the Red Lion bar in Sturminster Marshall.Firefighters encountered difficulties all night long since the totally burning timber building included acetylene and LPG canisters.
At 11:30 p.m., the Swanage fire station was called in to help, and workers there provided vital water supplies to control the situation.Two fire crews and water carriers were still on the site as of 7:30 AM on October 18, according to a representative from the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service. They are hopeful that utilizing a drone to monitor any possible hotspots during the day will provide a more accurate assessment.
After confirming that they helped with traffic control and set up a cordon, Dorset Police later stated that, by 10:30 PM, no additional police presence was required.Emergency services and the community are still collaborating to deal with the fallout from this big incident.
