Firefighters tackle blaze in their own workshop (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Firefighters tackle blaze in their own workshop

1:33am Thursday 31st January 2008 in Swindon

Two part-time Wiltshire firefighters were called out to a false alarm - returning moments later to find their own business premises in flames.

When a 999 call came in last Friday morning, business partners Pete Price and Jason Smith reportedly rushed from their vehicle repairs workshop in Cricklade to the village fire station before going to assist crews in nearby Swindon.

But the job turned out to be a false alarm. Meanwhile, in the minutes while the pair were away, a genuine blaze had taken hold at Prestige Repairs, which they co-own.

As they responded to the initial call, a heated piece of equipment rolled on to the floor of a transit van they were working on, leading to the loss of £170,000 worth of kit in the subsequent fire.

In a cruel twist, Mr Price and Mr Smith were called again - this time to help put out the fire at their own workshop.

Mr Smith, 32, told the Swindon Evening Advertiser: "We heard the address come over the radio and our hearts just sank. We already knew what would be waiting for us - it was crushing. My partner and I have just had a baby and bought a new house so this is the worst possible time."

Mr Price, 41, added: "We'd been gone just 15 minutes but when we returned the whole place was just engulfed - we lost everything."