'Devastating' blaze did not affect wider island, boss says

A "devastating" blaze that gutted a fire station and injured two firefighters did not affect fire and rescue cover on the wider Isle of Man, bosses said.

The fire at Castletown station broke out shortly after 17:20 BST on Thursday.

A retained firefighter who was at the station discovered the fire in the appliance room and managed to remove some essential equipment before it took hold - and two firefighters were treated for minor injuries, mainly related to heat stress.

Chief Fire Officer Mark Christian described the incident as "devastating", particularly for the Castletown and Malew crews.

Both injured crew members were treated at the scene, although one received further medical treatment on Friday.

Nine fire appliances were involved in tackling the blaze, with crews from across the island supporting the local team.

The station, which opened in 2017, serves the Castletown and Malew area and also provides additional support to the airport's dedicated fire and rescue service.

Christian said airport operations were not affected and stressed that local fire cover had remained in place throughout.

"From a public point of view and from a safety point of view they will see no difference," he said.

Two replacement fire engines with the same capabilities as those normally based at Castletown are now operational, while temporary buildings are due to be installed at the site over the coming days, he explained.

An investigation is now under way to establish the cause.

Christian said the station's sprinkler system had worked well, which helped to contain the fire and prevent the building from being destroyed entirely.

The service had also advised people nearby to keep windows and doors closed during the incident because burning fire appliances can produce toxic fumes. That advice has since been relaxed.

Christian praised firefighters and partner agencies, including the Isle of Man Ambulance Service, Isle of Man Constabulary, Airport Fire and Rescue Service, Manx Utilities and the Department of Infrastructure.

"We'll do what we always do," he said.

"We'll look now to rebuild and we'll make sure that we carry on serving the community as you'd expect."

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