R A Lister fire remembered

Gloucestershire was experiencing the best weather conditions since the summer of 1976 and on that day the air temperature at Dursley reached 26C (79F) in very humid air with a stiff breeze from the north-east.

At around 12.30pm a fire had broken out in the millwrights department and began to spread quickly. The alarm was raised shortly after and the R A Lister works fire service responded immediately. Fortunately it was during the works annual two week shut down and only a skeleton staff were on site.

An assessment of the situation was carried out by Station Officer Alec Cross and because of the serious nature of the blaze, the County Fire and Rescue Service was alerted. Two appliances arrived from Dursley fire station with Sub Officer Len Frost in charge, only to be confronted by a worsening situation and further assistance requested from Wotton and Stroud stations.

Station Officer Keith Martin, who was in the locality, arrived and at 1.08pm requested further pumps and a hydraulic platform appliance for aerial attack as the fire was now taking hold of the offices on the floor above. By 1.30pm flames were up and through the building roof with the large timber joists cracking and splitting in the intense heat. With the fire still rapidly spreading the number of appliances at the scene was increased to ten. Assisting calls now being made to Avon Fire and Rescue as Gloucestershire was hard pressed to cover.

Meanwhile the fire was travelling northwards through the office block and with it the general machine shop and part of the main tool room were gutted and by now posing a serious threat to the sheep shear department. With the fire now knocked down somewhat in the roof at the south end, it was decided to redeploy the 85ft hydraulic platform at the sheep shear end and await the fire's arrival. The appliance now positioned and several water jets at the ready, an all out attack on the fire commenced with some success at controlling this ferocious blaze.

Just as this was achieved, Senior Division Officer Joe Nash, who was now in charge of the incident, was horrified to be informed that the churnworks (opposite the office block) inexplicably had smoke pouring from its roof. Three minutes later the whole churnworks building was engulfed in fire and its destruction both rapid and spectacular. At 2.28pm SDO Nash passed the final assistance message to Brigade Control - "Make Pumps 15" - requesting another hydraulic platform or turntable ladder appliance.

At a few minutes after 3pm, a large explosion rocked the whole area as welding gas cylinders exploded in the heat and at 3.10pm a 100ft turntable ladder appliance arrived from Avonmouth fire station and set to work pumping water on to the churnworks. Gloucestershire's Chief Fire Officer, R G Wilson, arrived and took command. There was now 22 fire appliances and 100 firemen on the scene and a staggering 20 tons of water per minute being pumped on to the fire.

Because of the factory layout, the fire was a difficult one to fight, especially in positioning appliances. The County Air Ambulance Service attended to deal with any injuries. Leading ambulance man Bill Greenwood and colleagues dealt with a number of cuts, some needed hospital treatment.

From 5.30pm onwards it was possible to scale the whole operation down and return appliances to various stations. A level was kept throughout the night with further release of appliances during the 28th. Fire fighting was eventually handed back to the R A Lister fire service at 12.14pm on Friday, July 29. The fire was the largest for Dursley and also one of the largest in the county.

Refuelling the hungry firemen was dealt with by sending 154 meat pies from Gloucester fire station along with copious amounts of soft drinks.

Other R A Lister fires:

March 17 1930: Major fire destroyed Lister-Bruston Gen Set department.

March 1963: Harrow Land department burnt down one Saturday morning.

July 13 1975: Experimental department workshop destroyed during the small hours.