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Concerns 1000 Foot Bilsdale TV Mast Could Collapse

Wednesday, 11 August 2021 07:09

By Matthew Pells

A fire at the transmitter mast on the North York Moors causes "concerns about it's structural integrity"

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service say they attended a fire at the Bilsdale transmitting centre near Helmsley yesterday afternoon.

The initial call came at 13:19 from an engineer working at the transmitter, stating that he believed the mast was on fire due to smoke coming from below the first stay level (approximately 50 – 60 metres up). Calls were also received from members of the public who could see the smoke from some distance.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service say they worked to control the fire in difficult circumstances and extinguished a fire in a single-storey stone building and a 315ft transmitter mast. Only one building in a complex of four was affected and there are concerns about the structural integrity of the mast.

A 300m exclusion zone has been put in place around the mast.

Eight pumps from North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service attended the incident and firefighting has now ceased until the site has been confirmed as safe for further work.

The incident was attended by crews from Helmsley, Malton, Thirsk, Danby, Coulby Newham, Ripon, Northallerton and Acomb in addition to mobile water bowsers from Tadcaster and Boroughbridge.

NYFRS say they will be working on site today with Arqiva, the site operators, to bring the incident to safe conclusion.

The blaze at the Bilsdale transmitter on the North York Moors was reportedly caused by a lightning strike.

The damage has switched off broadcasts for about a million people in parts of North Yorkshire and Teesside.

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