Smoke fills the tower and one person is missing – but it’s not a real emergency. Fire crews staged a dramatic drill this morning (Wednesday, 26 April) to test their skills in a high-stakes rescue at Goodwood House.
Firefighters Tackle Smoke-Filled Tower in Major Mock Drill
Crews from Chichester, Bognor, Petworth, and Worthing raced to the scene, bringing in Worthing’s aerial ladder platform for the simulated blaze. The exercise aimed to sharpen their response to large-scale incidents involving historic buildings.
Training at Iconic Goodwood House
Anton Mezzone, Station Manager at Chichester Fire Station, said: “As a service, we carry out regular training exercises to practice our response and ensure we are prepared should a major incident occur.”
He added: “Goodwood House is a historic and popular attraction. Being able to train at such a prominent landmark and put our well-rehearsed plans into action gave our crews invaluable real-life experience. We are very grateful to the Goodwood team for allowing us onsite – today’s mock incident was a success.”
Protecting Lives and Heritage
Saving lives remains the top priority, but crews also practiced critical salvage techniques to protect the building’s heritage.
Anton said: “While saving lives is always our primary concern, practicing salvage in a building like this is hugely valuable to make sure we protect our heritage.”
