Updated: Crews tackle woodchip blaze in Hall Road Rochford

8:55pm Friday 10th August 2012 in Local News

Firefighters tackled a huge blaze in a pile of woodchips and bark. 

Shortly before 8pm on Frday crews were called to Hall Road, Rochford, behind the Cock Inn pub. 

They spent more than six hours controlling the flames but fire officers are expected to remain at the site for the next week.

They

Eleven fire engines were needed to tackle the fire which was in an area measuring 20 metres by 40 metres. The woodchip and bark pile was 15 metres high and some witnesses described seeing flames shooting 60 feet in the air. 

The fire was contained to the wood pile.

An investigation has now been launched by the fire service and police to find the cause of the blaze.

Comments(29)

sleeper says...
9:29pm Fri 10 Aug 12

This pile of waste tree cuttings has been building up for several years now and was an eyesore in Hall Road, Rochford Council and Essex fire brigade have been told about it and residents were told he can do what he likes, it`s his own land.
Hooorrayyyy i say, good riddance, he should be made to dispose of his tree surgery business waste responsibly like others have to, and pay for the time and expense putting the fire out.

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Baker-Boy says...
10:04pm Fri 10 Aug 12

I.understand the **** inn has gone up as well

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justlisten says...
12:44am Sat 11 Aug 12

Yes the Co ck inn has been destroyed by the fire. Its a real shame I liked that pub.

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siddymint says...
1:00am Sat 11 Aug 12

its still burning 12.59

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Kellyann81 says...
1:03am Sat 11 Aug 12

justlisten wrote:
Yes the Co ck inn has been destroyed by the fire. Its a real shame I liked that pub.
He should be made responsible & pay for the police & fire brigades time for his negligence along with pay for the destroyed pub

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tooseynewf says...
8:36am Sat 11 Aug 12

Can I set the record straight. The **** Inn pub has not gone up in smoke. It has not been touched. The fire is still burning and they used the pub car park for support teams like the Welfare lorry for the fire fighters and an incident unit for the ambulance crews.
Initially this guy did not let them gain access to his property but he has had a little conversation with the fire and police forces and they are now on site. He did the same about 12 years ago when his pile of wood cuttings (which he refuses to dispose of correctly) went up then. I hope they throw the book at him .

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al coniston says...
8:42am Sat 11 Aug 12

justlisten wrote:
Yes the Co ck inn has been destroyed by the fire. Its a real shame I liked that pub.
you can continue to enjoy it . . . i have just come back from there and i can assure you it is still standing, unscathed !!

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claire31 says...
9:32am Sat 11 Aug 12

Hope they throw the book at him could of caused so much more damage are the roads open need to go cemetey today x

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
10:43am Sat 11 Aug 12

sleeper wrote:
This pile of waste tree cuttings has been building up for several years now and was an eyesore in Hall Road, Rochford Council and Essex fire brigade have been told about it and residents were told he can do what he likes, it`s his own land. Hooorrayyyy i say, good riddance, he should be made to dispose of his tree surgery business waste responsibly like others have to, and pay for the time and expense putting the fire out.
could I suggest that anyone who has a big pile of tree cuttings or wood chps that they don't want sends them down to Wat Tyler Park so they can burn them in their woodchip burning boiler/heating system - it might save them completely denuding the whole site of trees in order to run this so called 'green' system - thank you

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mthraves says...
2:49pm Sat 11 Aug 12

I always wondered what that eyesore was in the field behind the **** Inn pub. Obviously the person responsible for it had no consideration for anyone else in the area. I hope they are dealt with severely as a result of letting things get out of hand and will learn to be a bit more considerate in future.

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Kellyann81 says...
3:25pm Sat 11 Aug 12

I have been asking around, his name is Graham Goodale , and his is said to act very flash, he has been warned, The pile was so big it could have been enough for hundreds of wood burners, he is a greedy strange man I'm told, I hope he has to pay for all of this, and if the road is closed loss of earning for the pub, staff, police fire the lot.

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rayleigh123 says...
5:40pm Sat 11 Aug 12

What a wonderful council we have, be 14 days late with your council tax - straight in front of the magistrates.

Where there is a problem, the councils stock answer is "sorry we cant do anything". or its not us - - try the county council

Toothless lot of ****

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siddymint says...
6:58pm Sat 11 Aug 12

In broadcyst avenue leigh, a person has dumped a open truck full of burnables and no fuel cap,
the fire bridagce say there is nothing they can do about it .
when that goes up in smoke what will be said then . no one is intersted until it happens then everyone says it was know about
Perhaps there is a leason to be learnt

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Kellyann81 says...
7:09pm Sat 11 Aug 12

The tree bloke was on BBC1 talking crap, saying how he looks after wildlife, and what's the fire has done... He rides a trike, 3 Mercedes and a Porsche, he is hardly green, I hope he gets done for keeping this much chippings 15m high, come on.. It's like keeping 1000's gallons of petrol, danger.. He has been warned before too, the cost is massive .

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buddy50 says...
7:44pm Sat 11 Aug 12

he is the cowboy the tree surgeons, if the public dont give him the work this would not happen.

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sleeper says...
8:59pm Sat 11 Aug 12

rayleigh123 wrote:
What a wonderful council we have, be 14 days late with your council tax - straight in front of the magistrates.

Where there is a problem, the councils stock answer is "sorry we cant do anything". or its not us - - try the county council

Toothless lot of ****
I spoke to rochford council and the environment people a year or so ago, no help at all, in desperation i Emailed the fire brigade and this was the response.
Sir,

Thank you for your email, unfortunately there is very little we can do
about it until such time as it is alight. I will inform the local fire
stations of the hazard. You may wish to notify your local environmental
health officers at Rochhford District Council who may have more powers
to act prior to a fire occurring. You can reach them on 01702 318111
email on customerservices@roc
hford.gov.uk

Roger Lucraft

Station Officer - Fire Safety

Southend & Rochford Community Command

01702 614433 Mob: 07785 973970

mailto: roger.lucraft@essex-
fire.gov.uk

No help at all, now this has happened, no doubt the cost will be added to OUR council tax next year

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Kellyann81 says...
9:14pm Sat 11 Aug 12

I would forward that email directly to the Editor of the Echo.. The fire has cost thousands, there was also a helicopter there as well, do you know how much they cost to fly, he should pay for all the cowboy tree man.

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Alice in Her Own Land :P says...
7:55am Sun 12 Aug 12

This fire was still burning brightly at 2am ... he has already lost one customer - a friend employed him to do work on her land - she won't now,

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Audioman says...
2:14pm Sun 12 Aug 12

Was someone frying there bacon!!!

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
5:12pm Sun 12 Aug 12

Audioman wrote:
Was someone frying there bacon!!!
that was probably what started it.......

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E- Types. says...
6:19pm Sun 12 Aug 12

I understand that an Echo reporter was dispatched to cover this story but after asking a courting couple directions in the form of "How far is the C0ck Inn" he never made it to the scene. He was later discharged from A&E following treatment.

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
6:21pm Sun 12 Aug 12

E- Types. wrote:
I understand that an Echo reporter was dispatched to cover this story but after asking a courting couple directions in the form of "How far is the C0ck Inn" he never made it to the scene. He was later discharged from A&E following treatment.
was the bloke from the courting couple called Justin?

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Hagrace says...
7:54pm Sun 12 Aug 12

Does anyone know the name of his company then?

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mthraves says...
8:07pm Sun 12 Aug 12

Intercounty Tree Services Ltd is the name of the company.

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Kellyann81 says...
11:41am Mon 13 Aug 12

Just driven past on the way to work & it's still burning & there is a hose running down his driveway. Hope as a tax payer we are not paying for this hope they are going to bill him

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Baker-Boy says...
1:24pm Mon 13 Aug 12

this fire will go on for day and days. i feel the police have been very poor with their efforts when the road had to be closed. they had office at both end of the road yes but they need one at the Golden Cross Rochford to help traffic flow and one at Rochford Train Station round about informing people of the clouser save people going up and down hall road for no reason.

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jamiew151 says...
6:02am Tue 14 Aug 12

Any thoughts for his poor wife's feelings & the well-being of all the wildlife that live there /
Most comments are too aggresive by far.Hopefully the police might catch the Arsonists who did it & they should be made to pay

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sleeper says...
4:04pm Wed 15 Aug 12

jamiew151 wrote:
Any thoughts for his poor wife's feelings & the well-being of all the wildlife that live there /
Most comments are too aggresive by far.Hopefully the police might catch the Arsonists who did it & they should be made to pay
Yes i agree with the last statement but i would suggest that Mr Goodale builds his next heap of tree waste and rubbish behind his own house instead of giving the other people in stroud green this misery every few years, he can keep the vermin and creatures that live amongst it all near his back door then.
This is not a wildlife sanctury, it`s commercial waste products that should be dealt with within proper government guidelines, this is part of Rochford Conservation Area and Green Belt, it beats me how this man gets away with it.

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Kellyann81 says...
11:51pm Wed 15 Aug 12

Baker-Boy wrote:
this fire will go on for day and days. i feel the police have been very poor with their efforts when the road had to be closed. they had office at both end of the road yes but they need one at the Golden Cross Rochford to help traffic flow and one at Rochford Train Station round about informing people of the clouser save people going up and down hall road for no reason.
His poor wife is fully aware of his negligence & should also know better & spare a thought for the poor people that have to view the monstrosity

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