This practice routine is designed to help the fire brigade deal with any major incident. Last year Hereford and Worcester brigade constructed the scenario of a possible train derailment. The PRIDE OF THE MIDLANDS passenger boat was loaned to the Fire Service for the day, which had become stranded in Diglis Lock at Worcester.
"We try to reconstruct as many a major event as possible, to give fire fighters the experience and skills they need for each potential disaster," said Alec Mackie, spokesman for Hereford & Worcester Fire Brigade. "There are lots of waterways across the two counties and with the amount of boats and pleasure cruisers on the rivers, we need to be ready in event of an accident. You only have to look at the lives lost after the Marchioness disaster on the Thames to see the disaster which could potentially happen."
Diglis large lock was closed to boaters for the duration of the exercise, but the adjacent small lock did remain open to boat traffic .
View of the PRIDE OF THE MIDLANDS at Worcester
