Falmouth café's "close call" after disposable barbecue left in bin

Fire crews were called to tackle the blaze at Swanpool Beach

Author: Sophie SquiresPublished 2nd Jun 2023

A café in Falmouth have thanked the local fire station for saving their business after a disposable barbecue was left in their bin.

Fire crews were called to tackle a bin fire on Swanpool Beach at around 8.51pm last night (1 June). It was beside the beach café.

Luckily, no damage was caused to the inside of the building. Swanpool Beach described it as a "very close call" on their Facebook:

"5 more minutes and the whole cafe would have gone up.

"All because someone put a disposable BBQ which was still alight in our bin. Even though there is a metal BBQ bin at the top of the beach.

"Huge thanks to the people who ran around dousing it with sea water and called Falmouth Community Fire Station - you saved our business!"

Cornwall Fire & Rescue Service said: "At 2051 Critical Control received multiple calls to a bin fire that had potentially spread to a café.

"Two Crews from Falmouth attended the bin fire that was beside the wall of a café on Swanpool Beach.

"Crews used breathing apparatus and a hose reel jet to extinguish the fire. Cause was believed to be a discarded disposable barbecue.

"No damage was caused to the inside of the café."

You can hear all the latest news on the hour, every hour.