Busy Bonfire Night as West Midlands firefighters called to 350 incidents
Bonfire Night brought double the number of incidents for the West Midlands fire service this year – with over 350 call-outs.
As thousands of people braved the cold on Saturday to catch a glimpse of some of the Black Country's best firework displays, the service reported that they received 356 calls during the evening, up from on 197 the previous year.
However, the majority of the calls were to small secondary, outdoor fires, mostly after people had lit bonfires on grass. They were also called to instances of smoke going into people's homes.
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The fire service advised people to attend professional firework and bonfire displays rather than holding them at home and at Himley Hall, crowds gathered to celebrate the event's 40th year.
Its biggest bonfire to date saw more than 1,500 wooden pallets used to build the bonfire and two kilometres of fuse wire was used to electronically spark the impressive fireworks.
Wolverhampton Racecourse saw hundreds flock to witness their colourful display, which was led by Signal 107 and compere Dicky Dodd. The night began with a children's firework display, followed by the lighting of the bonfire by the Mayor and then the full firework display.
Whilst in Walsall, the Arboretum was awash with hundreds of sparkling fireworks and the event also featured Britain's Got Talent stars Stavros Flatley and included a music stage.
However, the firework display at Dartmouth Park, West Bromwich, left some visitors disappointed.
The event, which was the busiest in years, allegedly saw some visitors turned away by security who were trying to keep control of the crowds.
Sandwell council released a statement on their Facebook page regarding the event. It said: "We're sorry to hear from people who were disappointed by the bonfire night at Dartmouth Park.
"It was incredibly busy and we're taking on board your feedback to understand the issues and help us organise future events."
The council also confirmed that a full debriefing meeting would take place on Monday morning to discuss the event.
Last year, the event was marred for some families after a gang of yobs threw three rockets on the park's main pathway.
West Midlands Police confirmed that the night went smoothly for them.
West Midlands Ambulance Service tweeted safety messages out on their social media pages. Paramedic Rob Moore tweeted: "I'm spending tonight volunteering providing medical cover for @stjohnambulance at a fireworks display in Stafford. #staysafe if you're out!"
