MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Leeds Castle lends a Hand.

The offshore patrol vessel HMS Leeds Castle has provided valuable assistance to firefighters during her final visit to the county of Kent.

The ship, due to pay off in August, was in the commercial dockyard at Chatham when a fire started four to five hundred yards from her berth in a stockpile of paper in an industrial area. Six fire engines from Kent Fire Brigade attended, but the extensive nature of the fire required more water than was carried in their internal tanks.

The firemen decided that using water from the dock was the best solution, but the distance involved meant that a pump would have to be used at the dockside.

The Brigade's pumps, while adequate, would have been less than ideal with the lengthy hose run. HMS Leeds Castle was able to use upper deck connections to use her fire main to provide double the pressure of the Fire Brigade's equipment, and with two pumps to ensure no pressure loss over the distance. Fortunately, the Fire Services and the RN use compatible equipment and the ship was able to plug straight in to the hose run laid out to the scene via a 4 hose adapter.

Pumping was maintained all night until approx 1000 on the morning of the 20th to allow cooling of the extensive hot spots remaining at the site of the incident. At 1000 the Fire Brigade took over pumping from HMS Leeds Castle, although minimal extra water was required at that time. By the time the fire was brought under control three cars and two lorries had been destroyed in addition to the paper stock.

A Fire Brigade Liaison Officer remained onboard throughout the incident and the ship was also able to provide some sustenance to the crews working in the form of hot drinks etc.

Commanding Officer Lt Cdr Chris Goodsell said: "I have to stress that the ship's company did not get involved in the actual fire fighting, but the firefighters themselves certainly appreciated the help".

The ship departed as planned at 1100 once it had been established that the Fire Brigade were content to continue unassisted, and headed out of the Medway to her next port of call on the Tyne.

HMS Leeds Castle is named after the historic and picturesque Leeds Castle in the county of Kent. Commissioned in 1981, the ship displaces some 1200 tonnes and is 195 feet long. Much of her career has been spent on patrol in the Falklands Islands, alternating with her sister ship HMS Dumbarton Castle. HMS Leeds Castle is due to pay off in August at her base port of Portsmouth. A new patrol ship, HMS Clyde, has been ordered to take over the role of both the Castle class. (RN)