The Club & the SMC have failed to respond to our enquiry on the recent aborted stadium evacuation but it didn’t stop us getting an answer. Many thanks to Peter Curry for his insight, copy of email received below:

It is unfortunate that the SMC have not responded to your request for information about the false alarm incident at the recent fixture. I am also awaiting a written report but can give you the brief details following the de-brief.

Because of issues outside of the stadiums control the fire alarm was triggered in the Arena in West Park. This alarm is connected to the stadium alarm but should have been isolated from the control room when the Fire Panel Control was switched from normal day to day operation to match day mode. Because it was not isolated, the fire alarm went into immediate alarm rather than a silent alarm which allows a delay on match days for the fire response team to investigate. The alarm should only go into full evacuation if triggered by the safety officer or a failure to respond to the stage one alarm. Because it went into immediate full evacuation the message normally received by the stewards was bypassed, hence they did not know how to respond, because it is drilled into them during training that they should respond to one particular message (can’t tell you what it is) and they had not received the message. I can assure you that the incident was under full control within 30 seconds of the full evacuation message being transmitted. Having de-briefed the incident I am satisfied that this was outside of the control rooms control and measures have been put in place to avoid a repeat.

Peter Curry

Structures, Safety & Emergency Planning Manager

Hull City Council

Streetscene Services

Festival House

93 Jameson Street

Hull

HU1 3JJ