Rescue

The Forum branch of Thomas Cook Closed

Following the collapse of Thomas Cook, after last-minute negotiations aimed at saving the 178-year-old holiday firm failed, the branch here in Sittingbourne has closed with immediate effect.

It's believed that 6 people are employed locally in the branch located in The Forum Shopping Cemtre and that staff were led to believe that the company would be able to "turn around" afer it's recent difficulties.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service (KFRS) have confirmed that they received several calls overnight about flooding in areas including: Eastchurch, Herne Bay, Margate and Cliftonville. The majority of calls received by KFRS's emergency control room staff did not need immediate assistance. However, crews were called at 3.48am to Crown Road in Sittingbourne and used a grindex pump to move water away from some properties. They also attended an incident following a call at 6.35am.

Kent Fire and Rescue Service were called to a fire in a first floor bedroom of a semi-detached property on Purple Emperor Grove in Iwade earlier this afternoon (Friday 1st January).

On arrival fire crews found a bedroom on fire and used breathing apparatus, a hose reel jet, thermal imaging camera and a ventilation fan to tackle the blaze and clear the property of smoke.

The fire was accidental and it's believed it was caused by a cable, similar to a USB cable, that was plugged in to the power where the wire insulation had completely being burnt off.

Two families had to flee their homes within twelve hours of each other after fires in Rainham and Sittingbourne.

In the first incident, a bathroom extractor fan caught alight, quickly spreading to the roof area in Sandown Drive, Rainham. The resident was alerted just after 9.30pm last night (Wednesday 4th March) after hearing a loud bang. She went to investigate and discovered the fan had fallen from the ceiling into the bath below. She alerted her husband who initially tried to tackle the blaze using water from the shower with little success.