🚒 LIVE: We join Greater Manchester fire crews in Rochdale tonight for a ride-along

Live updates during the evening as we embed with GMFRS for a behind-the-scenes look at frontline fire service work during one of the busiest times of the year.

Tonight, we’ll be reporting live from inside the service, covering any incidents, responses, safety checks or community visits that unfold during the shift.

Throughout the evening, we’ll be posting first-hand observations, photos and commentary directly from the scene, offering real-time updates on the life and pressure of emergency service workers in Greater Manchester.

The experience is part of an ongoing effort to shine a light on public services and show the realities behind the uniform.

The crew were then called out to a huge blaze in a patch of land off Wardle Road, Smallbridge.
A family with kids was setting off fireworks and had created their own impressively sized bonfire, which was in a dug out pit leading down to a river.
At first crew deemed the fire to be safely contained- but after they were called out twice more by worried neighbours and passerbys to the growing fire, were forced to put it out.

The organiser of the homespun bonfire made it clear he was not happy about this decision and attempted to stop the crew by parking his car on top of the fire hose.

“It’s not something we want to do, put bonfires out,” said Karl Higginson,  the station’s Crew Manager.  “But we told him to stop putting fuel on it and he didn’t listen – and that could be taking us away from other really serious incidents. While we were out, the other crew were called to a high rise where a blind couple were potentially struggling to get out of a burning building. We weren’t here for that,” 

We're wrapping up the live reporting for this evening.  

Today was a comparatively quiet day at Rochdale fire station. But it was amazing to see how GMFRS do their crucial work - and be shown how to put out an imaginary car fire (me, below). New career path for me?  Thanks for having me!

Bonfire is out! Crew say they can often face a lot of verbal abuse on nights like this. No one likes their fun spoiled - but these guys also need to do their job.

The starter of the bonfire has driven onto the fire crew's hose - he has made it clear he is not happy about the decision to put the fire out

Fire crew have made the call to put the fire out to put a stop to being called out

 We've been called back to the same bonfire off Wardle Road for the third time as it continues to grow and spread

Crew have just helped deal with a medical emergency at a private home. ‘It’s becoming more and more common for us to assist with other types of emergencies,’ one crew member explained ‘because other services like the ambulance service are so stretched’ 

The busiest bonfire night seen by one crew in Rochdale saw fire fighters called out 22 times in a shift, says Watch Manager Oldham - but things have apparently calmed down in recent years

It's another large but controlled improv bonfire by a local community. The fire crew gave some advice on how to control it and left them to it.

 Just minutes after arriving back to the station we're out again - part of a park is on fire in Smallbridge

 Our first call out can be classed as a 'false alarm' say fire crew - A small bonfire with responsible people in attendance. This happens a lot on November 5th

 I'm on my way to Kirkholt with the fire service after a call out for a bonfire set by youths... we don't have much more info yet

Got my gear ready... just waiting for a call out

We’re starting out from Rochdale Community Fire Station - all seems deceptively calm at the moment…

I’ll be joining Greater Manchester’s fire service this evening on one of their busiest nights of the year - bonfire night!