Fire fighters to get special metro training

PALMA'S fire services are going to receive special tunnel fire fighting training ahead of the city's new metro coming into operation next year.
Spanish fire and emergency experts met representatives from the Balearic Business Confederation in Palma yesterday to discuss new methods of fighting fire on industrial sites. The head of the Palma fire service, Manuel Nieto, announced that the city's fire fighters are to undergo specialised training so that all of the 250 members of the capital's brigade know how to respond to a fire on the new metro and in a tunnel. A small team of Palma fire fighters are already on a training course in Huesca and Nieto said “it's vital that we are fully prepared to deal with a fire of this kind.” The Palma fire chief added that the new training comes as part of the brigade's regular refresher courses which also apply to him. Nieto said that 99 per cent of fires are avoidable, especially industrial ones. He explained that in many cases the causes are a build up of flammable material in areas of high temperatures or poorly maintained electrics. “What surprises us is that there are not even more fires considering the amount of poorly maintained and uncovered electrical cables we see on industrial estates,” he added. According to the latest figures, there are an average of ten to 15 fires on Palma industrial estates every year. Part of the Can Valero industrial estate is still recovering from a major blaze earlier this year. Nieto said that, while the cause is still being investigated, the fire spread across the roof, despite the industrial units being separated by fire-proof walls.