Blaze Erupts at Bilsdale Transmitting Centre
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service rushed to a fire at the Bilsdale transmitting centre this afternoon, August 10, 2021. The alarm was raised at 1.19pm by an engineer who spotted smoke billowing from about 50-60 metres up the transmitter mast.
Firefighters Battle Blaze on Massive Mast
Members of the public also spotted the thick smoke from a distance and called in reports. Brave crews faced tough conditions to tackle the flames, which engulfed a single-storey stone building and a towering 315ft transmitter mast.
Safety Zone Set as Structural Fears Loom
Only one of the four buildings in the complex was damaged, but concerns over the mast’s structural integrity sparked the creation of a 300-metre exclusion zone around the site.
Eight fire engines from across North Yorkshire were on hand, including teams from Helmsley, Malton, Thirsk, Danby, Coulby Newham, Ripon, Northallerton, and Acomb. Mobile water bowsers also arrived from Tadcaster and Boroughbridge.
Firefighting efforts have now paused until the area is declared safe for further work.
Next Steps: Repair and Recovery Underway
North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue will return tomorrow alongside Arqiva, the site’s operators, to safely wrap up the incident and begin repairs.
