CUMBRIAN firefighters are now using new state-of-the-art equipment which uses a high-pressure hose to blast straight through brick walls to tackle major blazes on the other side.

Crews first use infra-red technology to identify the location of a fire inside a building. Then the Cobra Intervention Vehicle (CIV) shoots an ultra-powerful jet of water, loaded with an abrasive cutting substance, to blast a thumbnail-sized hole in the wall.

Water is then injected through the hole as a high pressure mist to absorb the heat and gases from the fire. The system can reduce the heat from 700 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees in just 30 seconds.

The system is far safer for firefighters, who can tackle the fire from outside rather than entering a burning building, and the instant dowsing reduces the risk explosions of fire.

Cabinet member for the Fire and Rescue service Cllr Barry Doughty said “This is a fantastic piece of equipment. It will enable us to tackle fires without exposing firefighters to very high temperatures and the potential health hazards of entering a fire.

“It not only improves safety but because the hole created is so small, no oxygen is admitted to the fire which dramatically boosts the firefighting effect and reduces any potential backdraft.”

The new vehicle will initially be deployed in the Barrow area, whilst a full evaluation is conducted in both training and operational environments, prior to the state-of-the art equipment being fitted to newly-commissioned fire appliances.