Fire crews test skills in Cambridge flats

31/03/2026

Firefighters from three counties but their skills to the test at an exercise in Cambridge.

Taking place on Thursday (March 26) crews and officers from Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, along with crews from Hertfordshire and Essex, attended Hanover Court in the city to test their response to a fire in a tall building. Firefighters were joined by police, ambulance and city council colleagues.

The scenario simulated a developing fire within a residential block of flats, along with a small hazardous material element. Fire spread impacted multiple flats and a number of residents required assistance. There were multiple casualties presenting a range of conditions, including smoke inhalation, burns and trauma, which helped test multi-agency working and patient management under pressure.

A fire service spokesperson said: “We would like to thank everyone involved in planning, supporting and delivering the exercise. The level of engagement and professionalism shown throughout was excellent.

“The learning gathered from the exercise will now be reviewed and used to inform training, operational procedures and future exercises across the service.”

This is the first of several large-scale exercises planned to take place across the county during 2026.