The managing director of a long-established county firm has praised the professionalism of firefighters who fought a fire at his company HQ.
Tudor Griffiths, whose family founded the Tudor Griffiths Group over 140 years ago, said the consequences for the firm would have been more severe without the “swift containment” and management of the situation.
“I want to express my thanks and gratitude for the response and thoroughly professional way in which all members of the service performed when the incident at Wood Lane arose,” said Mr Griffiths.
In a letter to Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, he said he wanted to pass on his thanks to all the fire crews and personnel involved, adding: “We are confident that Shropshire is in safe hands.”
Firefighters from across Shropshire worked in rotas to contain the fire which involved a mound of wood and chippings, and two machines.
More than 50 firefighters attended with back-up from crews from Baschurch, Oswestry, Shrewsbury, Wem and Whitchurch. A heavy pumping unit was also used which can pump up to 4,500 litres of water a minute from water sources near the site.
Ellesmere Watch Manager Steve Moorehouse said the fire could not be extinguished immediately so crews worked for 24 hours a day, for seven days, to dampen it down and stop it spreading to nearby trees and buildings.
Tudor Griffiths Group staff worked alongside the firefighters using diggers to move wood and chippings to a safe distance away where the fire could not spread.
“Tudor Griffiths staff worked around the clock as well so it was a great team effort,” said Steve. “We needed their large machinery to manage the fire to move the good wood away and bring the smouldering wood to a place where we could put out the flames.”
The Environment Agency, responsible for inspecting the scene, said the company’s emergency plan response had “worked well”.
Tudor Griffiths said: “This incident was an excellent example of how partnership working can make all the difference when it comes to resolving an issue calmly and effectively.
“By joining forces, the firefighters, our staff and the agencies involved were able to contain the situation and keep damage to a minimum.”
As well as its headquarters at Wood Lane, TG Group has a network of eight builders’ merchants’ branches, 12 ready-mix concrete plants, two sand and gravel quarries, a sea-dredged sand operation, recycling services, and skip hire, employing more than 250 people working across the English/Welsh border in Shropshire, Cheshire, Worcestershire, and mid and north Wales.
