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From: heather@teknopunx.co.uk
To: pd-unity@egroups.com, globalactionscotland@egroups.com
Subject: Fw: SITE UPDATE 16.03.2002
Date: Sat, 16 Mar 2002 23:37:48 -0000

Sad news.
H

Nine Ladies Anti-Quarry Campaign - death of protestor Jo

----- Original Message -----
From: all@nineladies.uklinux.net
To: "Nine Ladies mailing list"
Sent: Saturday, March 16, 2002 11:09 PM
Subject: SITE UPDATE 16.03.2002

Tributes have been pouring in via the message board for protestor Jo, who tragically perished in a freak accident last Thursday night [7th March 2002]. A fire, believed to have been started by a candle or a woodburner, ripped through the lower floor of the Tower on the Endcliffe camp (Bottom Site) while she slept in the upper floor. Jo became trapped by the tarpaulin roof of the structure. A man tried to rescue her, but was beaten back by the flames and was taken to Chesterfield Royal Hospital suffering from burns. Jo eventually died from smoke inhalation.

The remains of the tower have since been removed and a memorial garden built on its site. Newt and Murtle planted a plum tree in the middle of the garden on Wednesday in loving memory of Jo. No details of funeral arrangements are available at the time of writing, but we will post a notice on the web site and send a mailout as soon as we find anything out.

Those on site have taken it hard, but remain defiant. Your support is as necessary now as ever. If Marshalls get their way now then Jo, Sicknote and Andy Harrop will all have died for nothing. A lot of construction has been done recently, but there is still plenty of work to be done. If you can get to site, you will certainly not be unwelcome. A donation (something for the memorial garden? fire safety equipment? food and booze for a wake?), a few hours' work, a hug, even a friendly face, never go amiss.

FIRE SAFETY

To make sure nothing like this ever happens again, here are a few simple precautions everyone can take. (these tips are reproduced from a new article on the web site - scroll down until you find a link labelled "articles" for a list of all articles.)

Have sensible *fire breaks* between dwellings, so a blaze cannot spread from one to another. Build-in *escape routes*, if possible. Have something you can use to *cut your way out* on prominent display in large structures, or about your person in smaller ones.

Have an *assembly point* with buckets, axes and noisemakers for each group of dwellings. Anyone not firefighting should meet up there - and keep quiet so any instructions can be heard. Teach *kids* and *site newbies* to be safe around fire. Make sure everyone knows exactly what to do if the worst happens - and how to stop it happening in the first place.

Keep *stoves* at least *half a metre* away from anything inflammable, and make any hearth big enough to catch any burning matter that may be ejected if something goes pop unexpectedly. Consider having a *fire blanket or extinguisher* within reach of any stove - but not where you would have to reach through a fire to get it. Always stand *candles* on a metal plate. Hang *paraffin lamps* from the ceiling so they can't be knocked over. *Smoking* can be bad for your health in more ways than one. But if you must do it, use a metal ashtray - even a tobacco tin lid is better than nothing. NEVER smoke in a sleeping bag. And stub your fag-ends *right out*.

A *tipi* is intrinsically a fairly safe structure, because the open fire is usually lit in a ring of stones in the centre; so it cannot trap anyone inside if it gets out of control. You should still keep a sharp knife handy though.

*Smoke detectors* are battery-operated, so they will work in benders and tree houses without electricity. They should not be set off by candles or cigarettes. As the fire brigade say, if a smoke detector doesn't wake you then nothing will.

If a stove is leaking smoke badly enough to set off a detector, then there is probably something wrong with the vent pipe - it could be blocked, or just not high enough to get a decent draught. *Check it out*, because it could also be chuffing out deadly carbon monoxide.

Further information may be found at the Derbyshire Fire and rescue Service web site, at http://www.derbyshire-fire-service.co.uk/intro.htm who are the Brigade covering the camp site.

If you have any fire safety information of your own to add, or if you think something above is unclear or wrong, e-mail firesafety@nineladies.uklinux.net

Take care, stay safe,

The Nine Ladies Web Site team

all@nineladies.uklinux.net
http://www.nineladies.uklinux.net/

****************************************************

From: heather@teknopunx.co.uk
To: globalactionscotland@egroups.com
Subject: Fw: [v-nv-mobilize] Tragic news from Nine Ladies/Stanton Moor protest site
Date: Mon, 11 Mar 2002 14:40:00 -0000

Inquiry after protester's body found in shelter fire

An investigation has been launched after the body of a woman was found in a burned-out tree shelter at the Nine Ladies Stone Circle in Stanton Lees. A blaze tore through a wooden hut on the site at 10.30pm last night (7th March 2002). The woman is thought to be one of up to 70 people camped there in protest at quarrying being carried out at the site, which is an English Heritage-scheduled ancient monument.

A Derbyshire Fire Service spokesman said: "Three crews from Matlock attended the scene and extinguished flames before finding the body of a woman." None of the other huts and tree shelters, which the protesters have built themselves, were damaged, but a man was taken to Chesterfield Royal Infirmary suffering from minor burns.

Police cordoned off the site this morning and were talking to protesters to identify the dead woman and try to find out what sparked the blaze. Inspector Terry Branson, of Derbyshire police, said: "What we have here is one of the largest environmental protest sites in the country, with between 30 and 70 protesters. All we can say at this moment is that we were called, with the fire brigade, and the body of a woman was removed. A post mortem examination will be carried out later today. The identity of the deceased is still not known." Twelve officers were conducting a "full examination" of the area today.

The protesters have been on the site for more than two years objecting to plans to quarry the Encliffe and Lees Cross sites.

************************************

more - Derby Evening Telegraph

PROTEST DEATH WAS AN ACCIDENT

Police have revealed the death of a woman whose body was found in a tree shelter at a quarry protest site was accidental. Firefighters found her body at 10.30pm on Thursday in a burning tree shelter near the Nine Ladies Stone Circle, Stanton Lees. The woman, whose name will not be released until police have traced relatives, was killed when a blaze tore through a wooden hut. A post mortem carried out yesterday revealed the cause of death was likely to be smoke inhalation. There were no suspicious circumstances.

The woman was thought to be one of about 70 people camped in protest at quarrying being carried out near the ancient monument. None of the other huts or tree shelters were damaged in the fire but a man was taken to the Chesterfield Royal Hospital, suffering from minor burns.

The death is the third connected with the site in two years of protests. Last year, Robin Pollard (31) drowned after swimming in the River Derwent and, in 2000, 19-year-old Andrew Harrop fell to his death from a cliff near the quarry after a rave.

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