Low water pressure hampered Shropshire pub blaze fight

The future of the Tayleur Arms in Longdon-upon-Tern, near Telford, still hangs in the balance as demolition looms over the ruins.

Owner Enterprise Inns has told landlords Richard and Eve Harvey it plans to bring in the bulldozers – but has not yet confirmed if they will rebuild.

The couple were made homeless after a huge blaze ripped through the pub in the early hours of the morning on March 19.

Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said lessons had been learned after low pressure in nearby hydrants meant water was being used faster than firefighters could get it. Water had to be pumped from the River Tern ,which will be considered the "first stop" for supplies in future, the authority's group manager Shaun baker told a meeting last night.

Residents packed out Longdon-upon-Tern Village Hall for a meeting of Roddington Parish Council, where the fire service explained the difficulties.

Mr Baker said: "When we are called out to any fire, the incident commander or officer in charge of the appliance will look on their mobile data terminal to find water sources. He found two hydrants near the pub and was not concerned about the water supply at that time.

"As we arrived, we were aware there was already quite substantial fire in the back of the pub, there were flames in the roof and the building was about 50 per cent involved in fire."

Mr Baker said: "We realised the hydrants were insufficient to fill the tanks at the rate we were using water. At that point we requested other appliances to bring extra water." Once these other pumps arrived, Mr Baker said they would take water from the nearby Tern.

Mr Baker said the service had now learned lessons from the incident and was doing more to check areas where the water pressure might be lower.