RRT Volunteers Serve 125 Meals Through the Night to Support Crews Battling Major Tata Steel Fire in Port Talbot
Volunteers from charity the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) were called out by emergency services at 23:09 and deployed through the night to support crews responding to a major fire at the Tata Steel site in Port Talbot.
The blaze broke out on the evening of Wednesday 3 June, with residents living near the steelworks reporting alarms sounding from around 7pm before thick black smoke began rising from inside the plant. Large plumes of smoke were visible across the surrounding area, turning the sky black, and could be smelled and tasted as far away as Maesteg. South Wales Police urged residents in the area to keep their windows and doors closed and advised motorists to avoid the area and use alternative routes.
Eight fire appliances, two foam units, two high-reach turntable platforms and a High Volume Pump (HVP) were deployed to tackle the blaze, with around 100 responders working through the night in demanding and hazardous conditions. Emergency services remained at the scene into the following morning.
RRT volunteers arrived on site by 12:30am — within 90 minutes of the callout — and served 125 hot meals throughout the night to keep crews fuelled as they continued their vital work.
The RRT, which is made up of volunteers from the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, has more than a decade’s experience putting compassion into action by offering practical support to emergency services and frontline organisations across the UK.
“Incidents like this are a reminder of the extraordinary demands placed on our emergency services. These crews were dealing with a serious and hazardous situation for hours on end, and what strikes you when you’re on the ground is just how composed and focused they remain under that kind of pressure. It is always a privilege to stand alongside them. We hope the hot meals gave crews a small moment of respite during what was a very long and challenging night.”
Chad Pillar
RRT Local Team Leader
