A FORMER fire station officer has hit back at fire service bosses after a devastating fire in Frinton.

Retired station officer Mark Oxley spoke out anonymously last week after a blaze in Heronsgate left a family homeless.

He was concerned about fire coverage in the town as its retained crew was unable to respond to a motorhome fire which spread to two neighbouring bungalows.

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service said it was unable to respond as there were not enough firefighters available.

The intense heat transferred from the vehicle to the bungalow’s UPVC windows, which failed and allowed the fire to spread quickly.

The incident commander said this factor suggests that even if Frinton crews had been first on scene, it would have not changed the outcome.

Gazette:

Mr Oxley was left incensed by the comments and has now asked to be named as he calls for a whole-time or day-manned fire station in the town.

“They are just papering over the cracks – for the best part of the time the retained Frinton truck is not available and we are paying for it,” he said.

“On Friday night there was another fire in Walton and Frinton’s crew could not go because they were short of a driver.

“If you’re short of a driver - go and find one.”

Mr Oxley is concerned the lack of availability of the Frinton crew could end in tragedy.

He added: “The incident commander said if Frinton had been on run for the fire in Heronsgate, then the outcome wouldn’t have been different.

“If Frinton had been on the run it would have been half a mile away and would have been there within five minutes – Weeley were 20 minutes away.

“If they think 15 minutes of blazing fire didn’t make it worse, then they need to find another job.

“When they make comments like that it makes it clear to me that we need a whole-time or day-manned fire station in Frinton.

“If someone had been in that house and were trapped, a life could have been lost.”