Fire crews delayed by parked vehicles

13/05/2026

Firefighters were delayed responding to a house fire in Peterborough on Monday due to parked vehicles blocking nearby roads.

Crews from Dogsthorpe and Stanground fire stations were alerted to a fire on Victoria Street in Fletton at around 8.10pm on Monday evening. While travelling they were impeded by vehicles parked on both sides of the road, leaving too small a gap to pass through.

Station Commander Gareth Boyd, one of the officers at the incident, said: “We appreciate parking your car near your home can be a challenge, however we really need residents to think about where they leave their cars and make sure there is enough space for our fire engines to pass through in an emergency.

“After receiving the call our operators in Fire Control did a great job making sure they advised the residents to evacuate the property quickly and safely. Once the crews were able to access the property, they were quickly able to extinguish the fire, which started in the kitchen, and prevented it from spreading to other parts of the home.”

Gareth continued: “Sadly it is quite common for our crews to be delayed by vehicles parked inconsiderately. We would urge residents to think about where they are parking, particularly where they leave them overnight. In this instance, we were still able to get to the property quickly to prevent the fire from spreading. The next time we might not be as fortunate and the delay could be devastating.”

When emergencies happen, every second counts and access can make all the difference. Please think carefully about where you park, especially on narrow streets or near junctions:

• Could a fire engine or ambulance get through?
• Are you blocking the turning space?
• Would emergency crews lose vital time getting to someone in need?