‘It’s unsafe for firefighters and it’s unfair for the public who are paying for a full service that isn’t being delivered’

Melbourne firefighters say their response to the massive Richmond factory blaze was hampered by multiple specialist trucks being offline due to faults or maintenance.

Ringwood firefighters Jack Badrock, Damien O’Toole, Robin Carberry and Greg Blundell. Picture: David Caird

Firefighters across Melbourne have sounded the alarm about a severe lack of aerial trucks available to fight towering infernos, which they warn is leading to dangerous delays and putting the public at risk.

It comes after fireys warned their response to a massive factory fire at Richmond on Tuesday morning was hampered after more than half of the specialist trucks – which are able to fight fires from above – were offline due to faults or maintenance.

Crews from Richmond fire station requested extra help to tackle the blaze because their aerial truck – known as a teleboom – was being used at a call-out nearly 20km away in Clayton.

The only other available teleboom had to travel almost 40km from Thomastown, which arrived on scene within 17 minutes.

Greg Blundell and other firefighters are concerned the lack of trucks is leading to dangerous delays and putting the public at risk. Picture: David Caird

A Fire Rescue Victoria spokeswoman said firefighters arrived on scene within six minutes and the response was immediately escalated to call on specialist appliances and resources.

At the peak of the fire, there were approximately 26 appliances, 90 firefighters and eight Command Staff on scene.

“Our firefighters did an outstanding job to contain the blaze to the factory of origin and bring the incident under control in just over two hours and FRV is incredibly proud of their efforts,” the spokeswoman said.

“At all times, Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) ensures that appropriate resources are deployed to emergencies to protect firefighters and the community. There is no single point of dependency and we are able to utilise our full fleet across the state to ensure every emergency is responded to quickly and efficiently.

“The use of specialist appliances forms one element in our response to emergency incidents.”

Telebooms that should be at Sunshine, Ringwood and Oakleigh – which the United Firefighters Union say are all more than 20 years old – are offline due to faults and maintenance.

Another 27-year-old ladder platform based at East Melbourne and one at Dandenong also remained unavailable.

One firefighter based in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs, speaking on the condition of anonymity to highlight the crisis, said a teleboom should be based at Ringwood fire station.

“We are in a situation that is leaving us and the public at risk,” the firefighter said.

“If there’s a multistorey structure fire in Croydon or Nunawading, we will be waiting longer for an aerial appliance that may have to come from Oakleigh, Richmond or elsewhere.”

At a recent fire at Nunawading Forty Winks, crews were waiting for a teleboom to travel from Richmond.

“Any delay hampers our efforts to quickly attack a fire. It’s unsafe for firefighters and it’s unfair for the public who are paying for a full service that isn’t being delivered,” the firefighter added.

Liberal upper house MP Nick McGowan, who represents the Ringwood area, said: “If you are stuck in a towering inferno and can’t escape down the stairwell, you may well die waiting for a ladder.

“As the state government forces more high-rise buildings upon our suburbs, they’ve failed to provide the basic fire protection for existing residents.”

United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall said the distance aerial trucks had to travel demonstrated how thinly resources were spread.

A Fire Rescue Victoria spokesman said the Ringwood teleboom was being repaired as a “top priority” but said the organisation had 25 aerial appliances and 31 specialist appliances.

“At all times, FRV ensures that appropriate equipment is deployed to emergencies to protect firefighters and the community,” he said.

FRV said it will continue to advocate for further funding.