9 November 2026

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Fire & Rescue

All the latest fire and rescue news from across Bedford Borough. Everything you need to keep you up to date with what’s happening in Bedford Borough on your mobile or desktop via the Bedford Independent.

The Bedford Independent was founded to provide the people of Bedford Borough with a modern news desk that would give them easy access to genuine and unbiased Bedford news. We are independent in ownership and opinion.

Our mission is to inform and inspire the people of Bedford. To do this we will work hard to bring them the news that matters to them from our town centre to the most rural of the Borough’s villages.

Our editorial team are NCTJ trained and follows a standards code set out by the independent press regulator IMPRESS Standards.

Breaking news: Gas main line hit by workers on Manton Lane – people told to stay indoors

Workers at the Bedford Greenacre School building site on Manton Lane have damaged a gas mainline, and businesses have been told to keep their windows open to prevent gas buildup...

Homes around Cleat Hill evacuated after explosion

Bedfordshire Police have evacuated homes around Cleat Hill, Bedford after an explosion at a home in the area yesterday (Saturday). A man died and a woman was seriously injured in the...

Man dies after Cleat Hill explosion and house fire

A man died this morning after an explosion and fire at a house in Bedford this morning (Saturday). A second person was taken to hospital to be treated for serious injuries. Emergency...

Roads closed and homes evacuated as firefighters tackle blaze

The Kimbolton Road and Wentworth Drive junction with Cleat Hill and the junction at Bedford Road and Graze Hill are closed and some homes have been evacuated while firefighters tackle with...

New stats boast better response times for Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service

New stats released by the UK Home Office show that Bedfordshire Fire & Rescue Service (BFRS) are the most improved Service in England for crew turnout times, reducing from 140 seconds to 116 on average...

Bedfordshire fire and ambulance services reach finals of national healthcare awards

Bedfordshire's fire and ambulance services have been shortlisted for a national healthcare award after they launched a joint project to help people who have fallen at home...

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue’s latest recruits stand proud at pass-out parade

This week, (Thursday), 11 new on-call firefighters and one fire control recruit celebrated the end of their training course and the start of their time as serving operational colleagues. During their...

Two receive treatment following town centre fire

Two people were treated by ambulance crews after a fire broke out in a derelict building in Bedford town centre. Fire crews from Bedford, Kempston and Leighton Buzzard were called out at 6.52pm on...

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue reveal more details about vote for maximum council tax rise

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (BFRS) has increased its council tax precept by the maximum amount allowed, meaning an increase of £3.27 per year for a Band D property. BFRS approved...

“I will fight tooth and nail” says councillor to stop PCC taking over fire and rescue service

A Bedfordshire councillor has said he will “fight tooth and nail” to stop the current police and crime commissioner (PCC) taking over the county’s fire and rescue service. But the PCC, Festus Akinbusoye...