Man Dies in Caravan Fire

Caravan owners are being warned to take extra care following a fatal blaze in Llangollen last week.

Alan Jones, who was in his 40s and from Whiston, Liverpool, died when fire engulfed a caravan late on Monday February 13 at Abbey Farm, Llangollen.

John Gittins, acting North-East Wales coroner, said an inquest for Alan John Jones, 40, was opened and adjourned last week.

He said: “A post-mortem has been conducted by Dr Mared Owen-Casey at Wrexham Maelor Hospital and the cause of death has been deferred until an inquest. The inquest has been adjourned to a date to be fixed.”

Mr Jones’ death has evoked comparisons with a caravan fire in Barmouth last June which resulted in the deaths of Robert Taylor, 58, and his son Andrew, 26, when a coiled up extension generated heat and started the fire.

Tornado Hits Caravan Park in Wales

Holidaymakers in North Wales were sent running for cover after an 80mph tornado ripped through their holiday park, sweeping caravans aside in its wake.

The caravanners took refuge inside at the Sandy Beach Caravan Park in Anglesey as the twister destroyed six caravans, tossing one mobile home 50ft into the air.

The park's owner John Seymour-Jones said: ‘It was so sudden, the first we knew was when a staff member rushed in to say the caravans were being lifted in the air and bits flying all over the place.

Caravan theft from farm in Cheshire

A touring caravan was stolen from a farm on Chester Road in Tabley, Cheshire on Monday, November 22.

The Bailey Ranger caravan was taken at 11.28am by a blue X-reg Land Rover, which entered Holly Tree Farm, off the A556.

The owners said they saw the vehicle being driven in the direction of Mere Golf Club.

The car was later found abandoned in Manchester.

Mother's torment as son dies in caravan fire

A Fife mother has described the agony of having to wait nearly three weeks for confirmation her son died in a caravan fire.

Mark Feenie (39) died following the blaze at a caravan park where he was staying in Kintore, Aberdeenshire, in the early hours of 31st October.

But Grampian police only confirmed his tragic death to mum Margaret on Friday after formally identifying the body.

Margaret, of Kelty in Scotland, said, “It‘s been absolutely terrible. Everybody knew about it – it was all over that he died and everyone was phoning up. We received sympathy cards weeks ago.

“It was like being in limbo – the police said they were 99 per cent sure (it was him) but couldn’t confirm.

“We don’t know what happened. He had been for a drink after work and the caravan went on fire when he was sleeping. He obviously didn’t wake up.”

Margaret added, “Everybody seemed to know him. He was a happy-go-lucky person, was a good friend to his mates and a good workmate to his colleagues.

Grampian police confirmed they attended a fire within a caravan at Hillhead Caravan Park, Kintore, along with Grampian Fire and Rescue Service, shortly after 1am on Sunday 31st October. Investigations concluded the fire was not suspicious.

Dorset caravan site owner fined over power cut

A council has hailed the conviction of a caravan site owner after people in 17 homes were left without heating overnight following a power cut.

Ian Stainer, owner of the Silent Woman caravan park at Coldharbour, Wareham, was prosecuted for breaching the terms of his licence.

He was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £6,328 costs by Bournemouth magistrates on Monday.
Purbeck District Council said the power cut was on 20 December 2009.

It said an elderly resident was admitted to hospital with suspected hypothermia.

The court was told after the power cut struck, Mr Stainer arranged for an electrician to visit the following morning but did not inform Scottish and Southern Energy.

The council said the next day the electrician told the energy company about the cut, which was fixed that afternoon.

Councillor Beryl Ezzard, Purbeck Council's housing spokeswoman, said: "This should send a clear message to all site owners that they have a responsibility for the health, safety and wellbeing of all of their residents."

Houses evacuated after caravan fire

Houses had to be evacuated on Tilston Avenue, Latchford, Warrington during the night of the 23rd November after a caravan with gas cylinders inside was set alight.

Crews battled the blaze at 8.30pm after flames from the caravan caught the front of the house.
The owner suffered minor burns after trying to remove a cover from the caravan.

Tony O'Dwyer, green watch manager at Warrington Fire Station, said: “It can’t be stressed enough the dangers that gas cylinders present to both the public and firefighters when they become involved in fire.

“They become unstable and are highly dangerous and can pose an explosive risk. Neighbours were allowed to return to their homes the same evening.

The cause of the fire is being investigated after the caravan was almost completely destroyed by the flames.

Leading caravan park owner looks to double in size

Holiday park operator Parkdean wants to more than double the size of its business in five years after an acquisition spree.

The Newcastle company, which has more than 2,000 staff, is already the UK’s third biggest caravan park operator after Park Resorts and Butlins’ operator Bourne, but believes it can now reach its longheld target of running 40 sites within four or five years as the UK holiday market grows.

Parkdean said it has seen sales rise again from £120m last year and profits jump from £31.5m as more holidaymakers head to its 24 sites across the country.

Chief executive John Waterworth said: “I think the future is looking particularly strong for the UK holiday market at the moment.

“People are realising how easy it is to holiday at home and it has been an even better season than last year. We are seeing a lot of people going for weekend breaks as well as the one big summer holiday.”

He says the company’s growth has been fuelled by the popularity of booking trips direct with the company, either through its Gosforth call centre or online, as opposed to buying caravans.

And this means the business, the second most profitable in its sector, can start to buy more sites and build up its 24-strong portfolio.

Many of its sites are in the South West, particularly after it bought Exeter-based Weststar Holidays three years ago and it is now looking elsewhere.

Although this is unlikely to include many sites in the North East. It currently has none in the region and Waterworth says most here are too small for its business model. Its smallest has 150 caravans and its biggest in Porthcawl in Wales is the biggest in Britain with 2,000 plots.

Waterworth said he had hoped to grow earlier but the economic downturn and uncertainty about where people would spend made him cautious of moving too fast.

Pensioner dies in Sussex mobile home fire

Police and fire officers were continuing their investigations today (Monday, November 22) into a mobile home blaze at Yapton, West Sussex, in which a pensioner died.

Firefighters from Littlehampton, Arundel and Bognor were called to the Woodlands Park static caravan site just after 4pm on Sunday the 21st.

Smoke was billowing from the mobile home and fire crews had to wear breathing apparatus to make their way into the lounge area, where they found a man in his 60s. He was declared dead at the scene.

Firefighters used high-pressure water jets to put out the flames.

Police said arson was not suspected, nor the involvement of a third party. Officers are working with West Sussex Fire and rescue service to establish the cause of the fire.

Couple escape harm as caravan fire threatens home

Police are investigating after fire ripped through a caravan and spread to a house while a couple slept upstairs.

The blaze started in the caravan in the front garden of the property in The Avenue, Hartshill, Staffordshire on Saturday 20th November.

An off-duty police officer raised the alarm after riding past the house on his bike and noticing the caravan was alight.

Neighbours said he banged on the door of the house and awoke the couple inside before calling 999.

Three fire crews from Longton and Newcastle were called to the scene at about 3.45am and managed to bring the blaze under control within half an hour.

Scenes of crime officers spent Saturday morning examining the scene to try to establish the cause of the blaze.

The front door and entrance hall of the detached house were badly damaged by the fire and the caravan was destroyed.

A neighbour said: "Few people would have been around at that time in the morning, so we dread to think what could have happened if the policemen hadn't happened to be there. He deserves high praise for his actions."

A spokesman for Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service, said: "The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Our officers left the scene about seven hours later and left the inquiry in the hands of police forensic experts who were still gathering evidence.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said: "The circumstances are unknown as yet and are being looked into by ourselves and the fire and rescue service. At present we can't say if it was started deliberately."

Dorset man held following caravan fire

A man has been arrested after a caravan was destroyed in an early hours fire in Dorchester.
Police, firefighters and paramedics attended the blaze in St George’s Road just before 3am on Saturday 20th November.

Police are treating the fire as suspicious and have arrested a 40-year-old Dorchester man on suspicion of causing a fire with intent to endanger life.

Neighbours reported seeing fire engines and police cars in the area as well as the damage from the blaze.
The caravan was burnt down to its wheelbase and material from the inside, including a blackened kitchen sink and springs from a mattress, was strewn across the ground.

Duty Inspector Matthew Chutter said: “At 2.45am on Saturday, November 20, officers were called to reports of an unoccupied caravan on fire at St George’s Road.

“Dorset Fire and Rescue Service also attended.

“Following enquiries at the scene a 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing a fire with intent to endanger life.

“He is currently in custody and helping officers with their inquiries.

He added: “We believe that no one was inside the caravan at the time of the fire and we are treating the fire as suspicious.”

Two retained fire crews from Dorchester were called to tackle the blaze.

A spokesman for Dorset Fire and Rescue Service said: “We received a call at 2.18am on Saturday, November 20, from the Dorchester area to a report of a caravan on fire.

“Two crews were mobilised and once on the scene they found one touring caravan on St George’s Road, Dorchester, to be well alight.

“Crews extinguished the fire using two hose reel jets and used two sets of breathing apparatus.

“The fire was extinguished by 2.45am. Dorset Police were requested to attend due to the suspicion of malicious ignition of the caravan.”

Dorset Police are appealing for witnesses to the fire. Anyone with information should call PC Chris Meade at Weymouth police station on 01305 222222.