Firecrews called to flats fire
Fire crews across the Wigan borough were overrun with rubbish fires during Christmas.
Residents at Brookhouse flats, Scholes, feared for their lives when the bin chute, which was packed full of Christmas rubbish, was ignited, causing a blaze and heavy smoke that surrounded four floors.
Crews from Wigan, Atherton and Hindley all attended the fire, which occurred at around 11pm on Sunday.
No residents were allowed to leave their flats and firefighters patrolled the corridors with breathing apparatus to warn people to stay inside as the rest of the crews tried to locate the fire.
A fire service spokesman said: "Due to the build up of rubbish in the bin chute, a fire was caused. Somebody must have thrown down there a lit cigarette or other smoking materials which ignited the rubbish.
"It was hard to find the fire and get to it at first. When we got to it, a big flame roared out.
"The bin men had been round that day, but there was still rubbish left.
"The fire was mainly confined to the bin chute, but there was smoke damage to the corridors."
The emergency services were at the flats for one and a half hours. Nobody was injured.
He added: "If people who live in these flats have a build-up of rubbish in their bin chutes and they want to put smoking materials down there, could they please stub them out properly before they do so."
Due to the severe weather conditions, many bin collections had been cancelled, leaving a build up of waste in many places.
Other fires were started across the town. Rubbish in Vicarage Road, Hindley, was lit by youths with matches at around 9pm.
Another fire was caused in industrial wheelie bins at PE Systems in Victoria Street, Leigh, by youths at 6pm on the same day. Leigh firefighters dealt with this.
Later that night, damage to the ATM machine at the Asda store was caused. It is believed that youths setting plastic and paper alight on the machine were responsible.
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Weather for Wigan
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 0 C
Wind Speed: 6 mph
Wind direction: South east
