Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service Newsdesk

St Merryn Meats, Roche at 01/05/2003 07:43

We were called at 0428hrs this morning to a smell of smoke at St Merryn Meats. Appliances from St Dennis, Bodmin, St Austell and the aerial ladder platform from Newquay attended. On arrival it was found that the cardboard compactor was the cause of waste paper igniting, due to it being overpacked. Also due to the overloading of the equipment the crews were unable to open the heavy ram operated door of the compactor. We had to bring the Rescue Tender from Bodmin making use of the winch to draw back the heavy door. Two crew members, each wearing breathing apparatus were then able to extinguish the fire using 1 hose reel.