Youths throw missiles at firefighters on Bonfire Night
A group of youths shouted abuse at firefighters and threw objects at their engine as it attended the scene of a fire in West Lothian on Bonfire night.
The Scottish Fire and rescue service were called to attend a rubbish fire at around 4.20pm after a bin was set alight at the skate Park, Ash Grove, Blackburn on Sunday (november 5).
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and rescue service said: “A group of youths were shouting abuse and throwing things at the fire engine.”
No firefighters were hurt in the incident.
The fire service were called to 32 bonfire incidents in the West Lothian and Falkirk areas on Bonfire night.
And nationwide the SFRS responded to approximately 330 bonfires and 800 calls with missiles and fireworks being thrown at crews on 11 occasions.
Assistant chief officer (ACO) Lewis Ramsay, SFRS’s director of response and resilience, said: “Attacks on emergency responders are completely unacceptable and i am sure the public would be outraged by incidents where their firefighters have been targeted while working to protect people and property.
“This type of behaviour not only prevents our crews from bringing any emergency to a safe and swift conclusion but it can impact on our emergency service colleagues including the police when they have to escort us at the scene.
“This cannot be condoned.”