Officers at Darnell Fire Station have been forbidden from using their training tower after an aerial ladder collided with the tower and causing serious structural damage.

The accident happened when officers were operating an aerial ladder platform at Darnall fire station in Sheffield, and caused damage to at least 10 layers of brickwork.

The platforms were replaced by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service by combined aerial rescue pumps (CARPs – demonstrated in embedded video) but have recently been reinstated following complaints that the CARPs were not safe.

The FBU have informed the Health and Safety Executive that its members are concerned about the cages that rise into the air on the CARPs have a tendency to get stuck, leaving firefighters trapped and at risk of being engulfed by flames.

Speaking to local newspaper The Star, secretary of the South Yorkshire FBU, Jon Gilliver said, “Firefighters are not refusing to use CARPS full stop, just the cage element. If they were put up in one above a fire and the mechanics failed, they would be fried.”

This incident however raises questions as to the operational safety of the older aerial platforms, which reportedly have not been fully maintained since being taken out of service.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service were unavailable for comment at time of writing, but told The Star: “All accidents are unfortunate. However, we would reassure the public this incident will have no effect on our emergency response because our CARPs are providing South Yorkshire with an improved aerial response, while saving more than £1 million per year.”