Mr. Ronald W. Brownasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, having regard to the injuries sustained by firemen called to the burning sports centre on 20 March due to dangerous fumes, if he will issue advice to ensure that fire authorities have to be notified of buildings containing the present generation of unsafe foam; and if he will advise that fireman should not be expected to prejudice their health and safety by entering such buildings in a case of fire.
§ Mr. Brittan[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1980, c. 664]: It is the responsibility of fire authorities to safeguard the health and safety of their personnel so far as is reasonably practicable; to this end protective equipment is provided on first-line fire appliances and is used at all fires where firemen need to enter a building which may contain harmful atmospheres. I understand from inquiries which I have made that protective equipment was available to the firemen who attended the fire at the sports centre, Bury St. Edmunds. I have no reason to think that the firemen who attended the incident were endangered by the presence of any polyurethane foam in the building and I understand that no firemen were injured as a result of any harmful atmosphere that may have been present inside the building. One fireman received minor injury from falling debris and one other who was working outside the building was sent for a medical check, which did not reveal that he was suffering any ill effects.