Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service’s new Polaris misting unit was mobilised to its first incident yesterday, proving its value as a vital tool in fighting rural fires across the county.
The Polaris, which was launched by the Service in August 2024, was put to the test yesterday in a fire involving two tonnes of discarded lithium-ion batteries.
The fire, which occurred on Windmill Lane, Worksop, just after 10:15am yesterday, was particularly challenging due to the nature of the exploding lithium-ion batteries and its remote location.
The misting unit from Tuxford Fire Station was mobilised to assist firefighters from Worksop Fire Station. Crews used the advanced ‘misting pump’, which allowed access to the fire with greater ease and efficiency. The ‘misting lance’—a large, thin tube—was pushed into the fire, enabling firefighters to tackle the flames from within, rather than just from above.
The misting unit, known within the Service as the T13Z1, was introduced seven months ago in response to the rise in outdoor and rural fires attended by the Service.
Crews from Tuxford Fire Station have undergone extensive training with the unit, ensuring they were fully prepared to handle it during incidents. Yesterday’s deployment not only highlights the vehicle’s ability to manage hazardous incidents but also underscores its role in the Service’s ongoing efforts to enhance operational effectiveness across all areas of service delivery.
Group Manager for the north of the county, Tom Staples, said:
“I’m delighted that the Polaris and L200 vehicles at Tuxford Fire Station are being utilised, particularly for the types of incidents we have previously struggled to access with our traditional fire engines.
“I am excited to announce that more vehicles are expected to join the Service soon—these will be based at Warsop, East Leake, and Eastwood Fire Stations—to further improve our ability to fight rural fires and access other hard-to-reach incident types.
“The investment in our on-call sections is a welcome improvement to their ability to respond to incidents, benefiting not only their local communities but the whole of Nottinghamshire as well.”
