A gang of at least 40 youths launched an attack on firefighters last night, throwing glass bottles at crews after they turned up to battle a fire in Shrewsbury.
It is the latest attack in a week which has seen youths deliberately starting fires in the Harlescott area and then attacking firefighters when they turned up to battle the blazes.
In one of the incidents a firework was launched at a fire engine, narrowly missing one of the crew.
Last night firefighters were targeted by a large gang of youths after they turned up to attend a fire in Moston Road.
Glass bottles were thrown at the crews, with one hitting one of the youths on a foot. Nobody was seriously injured in the incident.
Fire bosses have now been forced to step up attendance at malicious fires in the Harlescott area of the town, with two appliances attending instead of one.
And they have warned it means fire cover could be stretched in other parts of the town.
Leading firefighter Phil Davies, who had bottles thrown at him last night, said: “Whilst we were there we were subjected to a large group of at least 40 youths. Bottles were thrown at the crews.
“One of the bottles hit a youth on the foot but he was checked over and seemed to be OK. Nobody else was hit. Shortly after that the police turned up and the group dispersed pretty quickly.
“Due to the recent attacks on fire service personnel we have increased our attendance to the Harlescott area.”
Mr Davies said there were only two full-time fire appliances in Shrewsbury town centre, meaning that if a serious incident was called in while they were dealing with a malicious fire in Harlescott, it would mean retained firefighters or crews outside the town would have to be called in.
“If there’s a serious incident it could stretch the service and increase attendance times,” he said.
“Our concern is if we’re wasting our time putting out malicious fires then the safety of the residents of Shrewsbury is being put at risk. We would urge these youths to think about their actions.”
Fire service chiefs are now in talks with police about going into schools to issue guidance to youngsters in a bid to clamp down on the problem.
By John Kirk
23 Comments
What mindless idiots! I just cant believe that anyone could be so selfish and stupid. These firefighters put their lives on the line to help save people and property.I am just sickened by this report and I am ashamed to live in the same community as these idiots!
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I thought the law of the land allowed you to use force to protect one’s self if under attack.
The firefighters should use their hoses to defend theirselves and give these yobs a taste of their own medicine.
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I think it`s about time senior officers from the Fire service and Police got their heads together for an agreed approach in dealing with these incidents.
I could say more but anger restricts the key board
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If this isn’t stopped the following will surely happen:
This unbelievable activity will become a spiralling trend amongst these morons.
A fire Officer or Officers will be badly injured or God forbid worse.
AND
Council tax will soar even more next year to pay for Shropshire Fire & rescue Service being afforded the additional equipment, police protection and all the other resources that they will need to be safe when attending fires.
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turn the hoses on the idiots.
it comes to something when following the tragedy last week idiots still want to attact the very men who one day may have to cut them out of a car, rescue them or near family from danger.
lets put CCTV on the engines and name and shame these idiots
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Totally outrageous.
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a couple of years in iraq would sort these yobs out!!
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Where were the police?
What a surprise.
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What a shame this unruly rabble are not sent out to some of the worlds trouble hotspots,where they can express their anti social behaviour all they want.
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when will the government listen to the people as to what is actually happening in the community, instead of reducing the number of police patrolling our neighbourhood.More harsher sentences should be impossed if and when they catch these youngesters of 10-11 yrs old who think the law cannot touch them or their parents.We must stop listening to the good doers. And take action ourselves.
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Im sure a Blast of the hose as they do in riot situations might make these brain dead idiots to think before they act? Just boggles the mind to think parent’s out there DON’T have a clue where their kids are or what their doing these days.
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What a disgusting state of affairs. To have Firefighters assaulted and abused whilst carrying out their duties to protect the community is despicable. The morons responsible are in the same category as some of the unsavoury farmyard deposits that on occasions accumulate on firefighters boots. To have this sick behavior at any time is a disgrace but at a time when a neighbouring County is mourning the loss of 4 of it’s finest firefighters who gave their lives protewcting their community is utterly contemptible.
Come on people of that community, some of you must know who was involved…stand up and be counted and report these stupid morons to the police
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When I saw the headlines for this story, I knew exactly where this had occurred, whenever I have visited Harlescot, or as we refer to it as ‘The Bronx’ you can guarantee to see a police car on site, the whole area is a magnet for disfunctional families and the dregs of society that we would rather not have to mix with.
I accept there are some really nice people who have to live in, and suffer this environment, and I feel very sorry for them, speak to any council tenant on ‘The Bronx’ they all want a transfer out of the area.
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Can the firefighters not turn their hoses on these YOBS
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whats wrong with the youth of today? as a child the fireman was someone i looked up to, along with the paramedic and police.
of course there is the excuse that its boring, and “we aint got nothing to do, but hey im a young 40 and can remember thinking it was great to be able to climb trees, play footy,hide and seek, or simply watch my black and white tv in my room.
there was no computer, playstation,psp nintendo,mp3, mobile phones et etc.
these morons need prison time to think about the disgraceful way they treat any of our emengency profesionals, how about applying to the lottery fund for borstels for idiots who are wrecking this countrys reputation. it would be a far better place to live, very soon it will be like the usa where murders and drive-bys, are a common every day occurance.
being soft on these imbeciles just lets them get up to more and more violence and mindless games that they think is fun. im sick of the police being powerless to do anything about it, what we need is a goverment that has got some common sense, im fed up that “kids” can swear and wreck our property, but were not allowed to swear back, or give them a clip around the ear for fear of going to prison ourselves.
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Well, after all that has gone on in Warwickshire the last couple of weeks, 4 firefighters dead, what would these idiots do if it was one of their families trapped and the firefighters were called out for a needless arson attack, just to throw bottles at them!
I say the law has gone mental, the police couldn’t even name and shame them because of their age.
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I think a machine gun would be an excellent addition to a fire engine. Of course I’d also add an experienced machine gunner.
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Are we living in a chapter of Lord of the Flies?
The police should not be issuing guidance, they should be finding those responsible and dealing with them accordingly.
In my own opinion the fire crews should have turned the water on them. However no doubt some irrate parent would then demand compensation, rather than dealing with thier own moronic child.
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The answer is simple………. Turn the fire hoses on them, as anyone who has had dealings with a three inch bore hose will confirm, Knock the little thugs off their feet, that will soon cool their anger and make life safer for our fire crews!
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Idiots.. they set fire to a car on purpose to get the fire crews there.. these kids want some 1940’s style army trainin to teach them some respect
Bring back good old community policing i say.. take them round the back of the shops and ‘ educate them ‘
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What on earth are these idiots getting out of doing this to the people that could one day save their life or one of their families life. I can only think that they must be insane and should be sent to a mental home, for their own safety. It makes you wonder what sort of parents have brought these idiots up.
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spare the rod and spoil the child.
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maybe it’s about times we took justise in are our hands and tar and feather these idiots. It will not be long before one of the idiots will be bragging about thier antics and then its quite simple to get the rest,one by one, revenge is sweet.
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