Latest news with #RoyalBerkshireFireandRescueService
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Duck and ducklings saved from rooftop back in wild
A duck and her brood have been released back into the wild after being rescued from a town centre rooftop by firefighters. A crew was called to Minster Street in Reading on Wednesday afternoon after one of the fledgling ducklings was found to have dropped from its lofty nest, while its siblings could be heard quacking. Firefighters reached the stricken waterfowl on the three-storey building using ladders and brought them to safety in a pet carrier bag. The duck and nine ducklings were taken into the care of Swan Lifeline where they were given a health check before being released on to a nearby river. Claudia Jones, from the Eton-based rescue and treatment charity, helped with the rescue and said the duckling that dropped down from the nest had been "kept safe in a blanket by members of the public". "The firefighters collected nine ducklings and the mother, it was fantastic," Ms Jones said. "We gave them all a health check... all were healthy. We then released them on to a local river where they were all safe and happy with mum." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Duck and ducklings rescued from rooftop Fox rescued from construction netting around neck Swan Lifeline Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Flammable cladding helped fire spread across flats
Flammable cladding and strong winds helped a blaze spread across an apartment building after a balcony's light fitting caught fire, investigators have concluded. Nearly 300 residents were evacuated from Mosaic Apartments in Slough's High Street just after midnight on 22 August 2024, with many spending months in temporary accommodation. The building's freeholder, Wallace Estates, said aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding has been removed. But residents have raised concerns about why the cladding was left on the building. They said similar materials had helped spread fire in the Grenfell Tower disaster. One woman told the BBC her life was severely disrupted after she and other residents were moved out of their homes between August and December. "I couldn't keep taking days off work," she said. "I just didn't have it in me to go into work, pretending that everything was normal and not know when I was returning home. "Mental health-wise I wouldn't wish it on anyone. "What if someone died in that fire? What if someone was injured? Why did it wait for a fire to happen?" A Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said the fire was thought to have been accidentally started and "most likely caused by an external balcony light fitting". They said: "The light fitting, including its assembly, had sufficient combustible materials to support fire development to the point in which it spread to the flammable materials within the ACM cladding. "The flammability of the ACM cladding system, assisted by strong winds, contributed to the rapid fire spread." Residents were alerted by people knocking on their doors after the fire broke out on the sixth and seventh floors of the seven-storey complex. No one was injured. A spokesperson for Wallace Estates said the company had worked to remove cladding on the top floor "as soon as possible". They said: "The isolated cladding has now been fully removed, and the scaffolding will start being deconstructed on the week commencing 3 March. "The scaffolding will take approximately three weeks to clear off site." A government spokesperson said the pace of replacing cladding across the country has been "far too slow for far too long" and that it was "taking decisive action to make homes safe". The spokesperson from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government added: "Our Remediation Acceleration Plan sets out key measures to fix buildings faster, identify remaining buildings still at risk and support residents through the remediation process." You can follow BBC Berkshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Flammable cladding removal begins on fire-hit flats Residents worried over cladding on fire-hit flats Repairing fire-hit flats could take up to two years Residents still in hotels a week after building fire Council knew about fire building's Grenfell cladding Nearly 300 people evacuated after apartment building fire Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service Slough Borough Council
