Firefighters ‘break into’ man’s home after stranger says she lives there

An investigation has been launched after a man claimed firefighters broke into his home after a stranger told them she lived there

An inquiry has been initiated following allegations that firefighters unlawfully entered a house adjacent to their station, based on a stranger’s claim that she resided there.

The homeowner informed the Manchester Evening News, that he first noticed something was off when he returned from a shopping trip with his wife around 4pm on July 19.

He found the hall light in his Liverpool Road, Eccles property switched on and cardboard boxes scattered across the floor. It later emerged that the back door had been ‘drilled’ and subsequently forced open.

However, after lodging a complaint, the neighbour of Eccles Community Fire Station alleges that he received a visit from a high-ranking officer requesting him to withdraw his case.

When he declined, the homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, claims he was informed that he would no longer be permitted to park his car on land adjacent to the fire station.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service has now confirmed that it is investigating both the break-in and the complaint regarding the alleged “threatening” visit from a senior officer.

Sources within GMFRS have stated that “a concern for welfare” led officers to force entry into the property after a woman arrived at the station claiming to live next door and urgently needing access.

It has since been disclosed that she did not reside there.

The homeowner told the M. E. N. : “On July 19, my wife and I went out shopping. We came back about 4pm and the first thing we noticed was that the hall light was on.

“Then we noticed some empty cardboard boxes which had been behind the kitchen door were all over the floor. My baseball cap was on the boxes too.

“I said to my wife, someone has broken into the house. Lights were on upstairs as well. The front door was okay so I knew someone had come in through the back door.

“I checked and the lock on my back door had been drilled to get in. A new barrel had been fitted in the door with a brand new lock.

“We were convinced the house had been broken into and straight away I called the police. About three minutes later the police called back and said you need to go and speak to the fire brigade.

“I said ‘why’. I never thought for one minute the fire service could do that.

“I thought maybe the fire service staff had witnessed something and had information for us. I spoke to an officer at Eccles station next door and he said they had a female member of the public come to them.”

The homeowner was informed that the woman claimed she resided in a downstairs bedroom of the property. Duty officers treated the situation as an emergency and proceeded to investigate.

He continued: “But there was no emergency in my view – no fire, no risk to life, no one was trapped.

“I said I don’t wish to sound rude but that is a police matter not something for the fire brigade. He said they had got in touch with senior management and been given permission to get into the property.

“He said they went to my property with the lady and the key she had would not fit the front door.”

The homeowner revealed the fire officer then described how they walked down an alleyway at the rear of the property, positioned a wheelie bin against his back garden wall, climbed over into his yard, and drilled out the lock on his back door.

He continued: “This woman, whoever she was, does not live in my property, just my wife and I live there. I am not sure why they broke into my house. They said they wanted to go into the house to see if there was anything strange.

“I said I was very unhappy and was going to make an official complaint.”

The resident alleges that on July 25, a senior officer in uniform turned up at his doorstep at 10.30am, asking him to withdraw his complaint – a request he firmly rejected.

He went on: “We have been living here for the last ten years. I park my vehicle on land next to the fire station and we have never had any issues or problems. We give the fire crews Christmas presents.”

A fire service investigating officer has now made contact with him and plans to take formal statements from both him and his wife. A representative for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service confirmed: “We can confirm that we dealt with a concern for welfare incident at Eccles fire station and a neighbouring property on Liverpool Road at around 1pm on Saturday 19 July.”

They added: “Two complaints have subsequently been received. These are being investigated in line with our complaints procedure by a member of our professional standards team.”

The spokesperson concluded: “As with all matters of alleged misconduct and other complaints, we will thoroughly and robustly investigate. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”