Apart from a fire, why else might a fire engine be called out in the middle of the night?

[AngeloMysterioso]

A fire engine has been parked outside my house for the last half hour. I can’t see any burning houses or smell any smoke and there doesn’t appear to be any activity going on around the fire engine itself, it’s just sitting there... engine running, lights flashing and the whole shebang.

Any guesses?

Gas leak? Someone got their head stuck in the bed frame?

Usually there's a running update to Online if you Google your local station

Chemical spill
Animal stuck somewhere
False call

Maybe someone is stuck or can’t get down? It’s fire and rescue so they’re probably rescuing someone, getting them out from a tight spot. Idk maybe their ladder broke to their loft and they can’t get back 🤷‍♀️ I heard they also respond to gas leaks but I’m not sure how accurate that is.

There's a hamster stuck under a kitchen unit? This exact scenario was on our local news tonight.

Cat up a tree? 🤷‍♀️

My friend had this in her apartment block last week- burst water main.

If any properties have lifts in it could be there for a lift entrapment.

Gaining access for paramedics.

Carbon monoxide alarm

If paramedics can’t lift someone who has fallen, they will call fire brigade to assist with special stretcher. Remember horror story on tv where toddler finger got stuck in plug hole & fire brigade demolished the room to get child with plug hole fitting and bit of pipe to hospital to get child seen to/ free safely

Kitten stuck in a lift.

Where I live rurally they attend if paramedics can’t get there soon enough. They have a fast response car but if busy the fire engine attends.

Are they all in the cab eating fish & chips?

@NakedNugget

Usually there's a running update to Online if you Google your local station

Really I've never seen that?

Surely all of these things would involve a bit of activity though? I haven’t heard any doors opening or closing or seen a single person, it’s literally just... there. Flashing. And I’m at the end of the road with just allotments on the other side so if it’s not my house or the two semis opposite then I don’t know who they’re here for...

@LangClegsInSpace

Kitten stuck in a lift.

No lifts anywhere round here, unless it’s a stannah stairlift jobbie...

@AdaColeman

Are they all in the cab eating fish & chips?

Could be, but that wouldn’t require the flashy lights would it?

My mate is a firefighter.
Flooding, gas leaks, stuck animals from cars to cows, and one time a Mysterious Wild Animal in a midnight warehouse that turned out to be a trio of escaped pigs.

Car crash ..good forbid!

They might be waiting to be called into a situation. Sometimes the police have to go in to make safe first? Often the fire brigade or ambulance have to wait a safe distance away.

Could be flooding I guess, we live in a little valley between two hills and it has been throwing it down for the last few hours... but again, no sign of any actual people, unless just the driver got out and dealt with it (I can only see the left hand side of the engine).

@olidora63

Car crash ..good forbid!

I would definitely have heard that

Well it’s gone now... pulled away as silently as it arrived, no sign of any disturbance anywhere... it’s all very mysterious.

Now I can go back to enjoying the thunderstorm!

Probably something unexciting like they've forced a door for a fire alarm & are waiting for a joiner to.come and secure it

Child has toilet training seat stuck around their neck

... Never ever had to have them round to cut and remove such an item off a toddler.... Not me, no...

Toe stuck in a bath tap.

You probably just didn't see the firefighters getting out.

Called to a small fire but the residents already put it out, maybe.