No comment from new NI fire chief Peter O’Reilly as bomb inquiry evidence mounts

Peter O’Reilly, the man who was appointed to lead the Province’s firefighters in August this year, had been in charge of fire crews in Manchester on the night of the attack, but they did not arrive at the scene for about two hours.

It has been reported that, once crews finally did arrive, the fire brigade’s contribution consisted of a mere 12 crew members – about the same number that would be sent to a standard domestic blaze.

Among the evidence presented in this week’s inquiry hearings was testimony about the final moments in the life of John Atkinson, a healthcare worker aged 28, from Bury.

He had been six metres away from the Islamist extremist Salman Abedi when the 22-year-old detonated a suicide vest, ultimately claiming 22 lives as well as his own on May 22, 2017.

The explosion was at 10.31pm. Just before 11pm a police body-worn camera captured Mr Atkinson telling a policewoman: “I’m gonna die.”

An officer from the British Transport Police was also on hand, and tried to help him as he told her he didn’t want to die.

This officer told the inquiry on Thursday: “We realised no-one was coming to help us and it was better to get people downstairs.”

With no stretcher available, they tried moving him using a display board and a bit of metal fence. His handlers eventually got him downstairs to a casualty clearing area, but then he waited another 20 minutes as ambulances queued outside before going into cardiac arrest at 11.47pm.

He was taken to hospital but pronounced dead at 12.24am.

Cardiology expert Dr Paul Rees told the inquiry: “If it had been possible to extract him from the scene and deliver him safety to a pre-alerted trauma team with access to extensive blood products before cardiac arrest ensued, then survival might have been possible.”

The fire service had specialist teams at its disposal, with stretchers and enhanced first aid units.

But some of the firefighters under Mr O’Reilly’s command, who had been so close they heard the bomb detonate, were instead instructed to drive three miles in the opposite direction, the inquiry had been told earlier.

Mr O’Reilly has previously apologised for the failings of the Manchester fire brigade that night.

Meanwhile the Northern Ireland fire brigade was asked if it or Mr O’Reilly himself had anything to say in light of this week’s inquiry evidence.

“It would be inappropriate for NI Fire & Rescue Service to comment,” came the response.

More on this story:

Click here>>> NI fire brigade hires ‘reputation management’ PR squad to handle new boss appointment – whilst having lost over 100 actual firefighters in five years

Click here>>> Manchester Islamist murders: Blundering actions of fire service commanded by Northern Ireland’s current chief Peter O’Reilly come under renewed spotlight

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