Workers' quick action prevents fire 'disaster' at PC World

THE District Commander of the Fire and Rescue Service in Lisburn has praised the quick actions of contract workers at PC World at Sprucefield who called the emergency services, helping save thousands of pounds worth of stock and the store from 'potential disaster', after a fire broke out on Monday night.

The blaze began as an external sign was being replaced at around 9.45pm. Contract workers at the store evacuated the building and the first of the four fire crews arrived at the premises three minutes after the call was made.

Four fire appliances, including two from Lisburn, one from Cadogan and a specialist vehicle from Belfast attended the scene. They used a main jet and a hosereel jet. Crews had to cut away some of the front panels of the building to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

District Commander Martin McDonald said the contract workers saved the building from what he called 'potential disaster.'

In the event the fire was extinguished within 30 minutes but the fire crews remained at the building for four hours to ensure the area was safe. They left the scene at around 2am.

"No doubt the fire would have spread very quickly if the fire crew had not been here within three minutes," Mr McDonald said.

"If they had been five or ten minutes later there would have been potential disaster.

"It was an excellent job by all the fire crews involved. The contract workers should also be praised for preventing a real disaster. It had the potential to spread and five or ten minutes later it would have. "

There was no stock damage.

A spoeksperson for PC World said that the fire was mostly confined to the external walls and there was little damage inside as the fire occurred when the sign was being replaced.

She said that the fire engines were qucikly on the scene and the fire was extinguished quickly. She said that the store opened as normal the following day and is continuing to operate as nomral.

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