Firefighter describes Sheffield rescue operation after blaze leaves man seriously injured

Steve Adams, group manager at South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, told how after one man was carried from the fire in a serious condition yesterday crews had to break into neighbouring properties on Chesterfield Road in Heeley to search for other casualties.

At the height of the blaze, which broke out at a row of shops shortly before 10.30pm, he said seven fire engines were at the scene, along with a turntable ladder.

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“When we arrived we were met by a well-established fire in the shop and the first floor. It looked like several shops and first-floor flats were involved at the time, with smoke issuing from all the roofs,” said Mr Adams.

"Our crews quickly made an entry into the front of the shop that appeared to be on fire and rescued a male. They did first aid on him until the ambulance crew arrived soon after and he was taken to hospital in a serious condition.

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"They then had to break into the other properties and make sure they were all fully searched because there was a lot of smoke.”

Mr Adams added that nobody else had been found and it was not known whether the shops and flats were unoccupied at the time or people had fled before firefighters arrived.

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He said crews were at the scene until around 5pm on Sunday evening and the cause of the fire remained unknown.

Police officers and paramedics were also deployed, and an air ambulance landed on the car park of the nearby Heeley Retail Park.