Turkey earthquake: London Fire Brigade to help with rescue effort

A group of firefighters from the London Fire Brigade (LFB) are travelling to Turkey to help with the rescue effort after two deadly earthquakes killed more than 5,000 people.

A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria early on Monday (February 6), followed by a 7.5 magnitude tremor.

A team of 12 from the LFB International Search and Rescue (ISAR) have joined the UK wide team to assist the international aid effort.

They will use specialist equipment, including seismic listening devices, to detect and locate people, the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) said.

The team also has concrete cutting and breaking equipment, propping and support tools and heavy lifting appliances.

Mark Hardingham, chair of the NFCC, said the scenes in Turkey and Syria were "devastating to see" and the team would spend 14 days there.

He said: "The specialist team being deployed will undertake search and rescue work using a range of technical expertise, kit and equipment in a bid to save lives, while supporting other emergency services teams already working tirelessly in the area."

The earthquake was centred in the town of Pazarcik in Kahramanmaras province about 60 miles from the Syrian border outside the city of Gaziantep, a major Turkish provincial capital.

A second earthquake, with a 7.5 magnitude, hit central Turkey at around 1.30pm local time (10.30am GMT), striking the Elbistan district of Turkey’s Kahramanmaras province, around 80 miles directly north of Gaziantep.

Thousands of buildings collapsed in both countries and rescuers are working to save people trapped beneath the rubble.