TWO police officers attending a residents’ meeting are being hailed as heroes today after evacuating the hall when fire broke out.
The pair were invited to give a crime presentation in Newcastle yesterday when smoke from a fire threatened to overcome a packed community centre.
They spotted smoke billowing from vents in the ceiling of St Aidan’s Community Centre in Princes Road, Brunton Park, at about 7pm, as they approached the building.
And thinking fast, PCs Chris Wilson and Barry Gibson managed to evacuate more than 30 people before the room filled with black fumes.
Fire crews from West Denton, Newcastle’s Colby Court and Wallsend were called to the scene and managed to tackle the blaze.
Princes Road was closed for more than an hour while the fire was brought under control.
Today the keen officers have been praised by their bosses and fire officials.
Gosforth and Great Park Sgt Paul Rae said: “The officers were on route to a meeting of the North Gosforth Parish Council when they saw smoke coming from a building.
“As they got closer, they realised the smoke was coming from the building they were due to attend the meeting at. They quickly called the fire and rescue service and evacuated the building, making sure that nobody was left inside.”
Kevin Marley, watch manager at West Denton Fire Station, said: “These two police officers did extremely well. When we got there everyone was out of the building, and the police had the evacuation under control.
“It was lucky they were due to give a talk when the fire broke out. They did a really good job and no-one was injured.”
Three water jets were used to extinguish the fire, while six firefighters wearing breathing gear went in to the building to tackle the blaze.
The fire started in the boiler room and spread to the roof.
Watch manager Marley added: “We put two holes in the ceiling at either side of the fire, so we could tackle the flames from both sides. We then used a thermal image camera to identify any further hotspots.”
A spokesman from fire control said: “Initial investigations by fire investigators located the fire to a locked boiler room.
“The fire is not being treated as suspicious.”