The nearest fire station to the government’s new asylum barge has no full-time staff and its firefighters have other jobs, prompting “real concerns” over the response to an emergency.
In a report seen by The Independent, a long-serving firefighter called the Bibby Stockholm a “major life risk” and warned that most fire engines in the nearby area are “on-call” only – slowing response times.
Andy Dark, who was the Fire Brigades’ Union (FBU) assistant general secretary until his retirement earlier this year, called for the project to be abandoned on safety grounds, but the government hopes to put the first of 500 asylum seekers on board next week.
Ministers have been forced to insist the barge is “not a death trap”, as health and safety checks continue at Portland Port following official warnings over issues including fire exits and evacuation routes.
Mr Dark said there are only six fire engines stationed within 15 miles of the Bibby Stockholm, and all but one are staffed by part-time crews.
“There's a real concern with regards to the availability of crews,” he told The Independent.
“Fires in expansive buildings are really, really labour intensive. You want to get in there quick, intervene quickly and knock it out.”
Portland Fire Station has two engines under a 10-minute drive from the barge but is not staffed full-time, meaning on-call firefighters are paged in the event of an emergency.
“Its firefighters have other jobs and obligations,” says its website. “They commit time to the Fire & Rescue Service throughout the week and respond to emergencies.”
The next-nearest fire station is around a 15-minute drive away in Weymouth, which has one 24-hour crewed engine and a second one on call, as well as a rescue unit.
Over 13 miles away, Dorchester Fire Station has two engines but both are on-call only.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had “robust plans” in place for the Bibby Stockholm and could draw resources from numerous stations over a wide area if necessary.
But Mr Dark warned that there would be “no second chances” if a fire broke out, and urged the fire service to run real-life simulations to test its response.
“We cannot have a situation as with both [fatal flat block fires in] Lakanal House and Grenfell where fire personnel were confronted with an operating environment and demands on a scale for which they had no experience or training to know where to start,” he said.
The FBU formally wrote to home secretary Suella Braverman raising concerns earlier this week and demanding an urgent meeting but has not received a response.
Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden sought to play down the warnings on Thursday, saying the union was “affiliated to the Labour Party” and suggesting its intervention was politically motivated.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We have to undertake a number of inspections and other measures to make sure that these vessels, and this vessel in particular, is suitable and ready.
“We are confident that we will be able to address all of these concerns, I’m absolutely certain of that, and I’m absolutely certain we will be able to get people on this vessel in the coming weeks.”
The Bibby Stockholm barge at Portland, Dorset, will house up to 500 people (James Manning/PA)— (PA Wire)
Ben Selby, the FBU’s assistant general secretary, said its warning had “nothing to do with our democratically decided political affiliation” and condemned Mr Dowden’s suggestion as “disgraceful”.
“Fire safety is a serious matter, and this situation calls for a grown-up approach,” he added. “We are sounding the alarm because it is our duty to do so.”
Concerns over the issue were raised by the homelessness charity Shelter over two weeks ago, in a letter to the Home Office and local authorities asking numerous safety questions including: “What plans/systems are in place in the event of a fire breaking out on board the vessel? Have any evacuation drills taken place and are any planned?”
The letter asked if the government was checking whether the asylum seekers housed on the Bibby Stockholm could swim, and pointed to a report saying that smoking was common on board during its previous use for asylum seekers in the Netherlands.
The Independent understands the Home Office acknowledged receipt of Shelter’s letter but did not answer any of the questions.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said the government and its contractors were responsible for completing a fire risk assessment, ensuring necessary measures are in place and determining if it is “appropriate” to move people aboard the Bibby Stockholm.
The official brochure for the Bibby Stockholm shows 222 single bedrooms, but the Home Office says it will house 500 asylum seekers— (Bibby Marine)
It said it had “provided advice and comment in relation to fire safety arrangements” during official visits but there was no official approval process.
“The service has robust plans for dealing with major incidents, including moving appliances from other fire stations and calling on neighbouring fire services for support, and all crews attending any such incident have access to relevant risk information while en route,” a spokesperson told The Independent.
Officials said that firefighters from Portland, Weymouth, Dorchester, Bridport, Bournemouth and other locations could be drawn on, depending on the scale of any incident.
The Home Office said it had developed a fire protocol and its contractors were working with the service.
A spokesperson added: “The Bibby Stockholm is being readied for the arrival of the first asylum seekers and will comply with all appropriate regulations. The vessel will adhere to all relevant health and safety standards, including over fire risk and to suggest otherwise is wrong.”
