A Burnham-On-Sea shop owner has thanked local emergency service crews and hospital staff after he was taken to hospital following a fire at his town shop on Sunday (March 27th).
Nick Tolley, owner of The Picture Business in Burnham’s Abingdon Street, was treated for the effects of smoke inhalation after a fire broke out at his shop, as reported here.
Fire crews from Cheddar and Bridgwater were quickly on scene when plumes of thick smoke were seen emerging from the property just before 8pm.
Nick required oxygen therapy from the crews and was taken by ambulance to hospital for further treatment with difficulty breathing. He is now recovering well and has thanked those who helped him.
Nick told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The professionalism and care of the Somerset fire service was faultless.”
”The NHS paramedics looked after me so well and made me feel safe after a lot of smoke inhalation. Musgrove did every test possible and cleared my lungs with three hours of oxygen and associated treatments.”
He adds: “I know they are all under attack for not being what they were, but on Sunday night they all proved themselves truly dedicated professionals.”
“I felt proud to be in Somerset under their care. So a great big thank you goes to all of them.”
Nick adds that his shop will be closed for a few more days yet as the clean-up operation and repairs continue.
“We have a few days of clearing the mess,” he says. “Drying out the water and replacing ceilings, then testing equipment before we can re-open.”
A fire service spokesman says: “Crews attended reports of smoke issuing from a property, with a shop on the ground floor and a flat above.”
“Crews found a fire on the ground floor at the rear of the property and got to work with two breathing apparatus and a hose reel jet to put the fire out.”
“The ambulance service were requested for one male who had inhaled smoke at the scene. Crews administered oxygen therapy until their arrival.”
“The fire was extinguished, and crews confirmed the fire as accidental, caused by a halogen lamp.”
“A positive pressure fan was used to clear the property of the smoke. A thermal imaging camera was also used to check for fire spread and hot spots.”
