United Kingdom - A crew of Merseyside firefighters face disciplinary action for refusing to carry out an order they believed would endanger their lives. Four men were told to move a gas cylinder from the site of a major warehouse fire which drove nearly 900 people out of their Wirral homes this week. The firefighters were ordered back to Low Hill station after they said they were concerned the cylinder would explode.

Last night, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said the row was indicative of the animosity which had dogged the fire service since last year's strike.

It was revealed that external negotiators will hold more peace talks between the FBU and the fire service, just two months after the end of the region's longest fire dispute in 30 years.

The secretary of the Merseyside FBU branch, Les Skarratts, said last night: "We are appalled at the situation. It should not have happened. This is just one example of the bad feeling and pettiness that is rife within the fire service at the minute.

"The incident has caused deep resentment, anger and upset. It is the first time I can ever remember a crew being ordered off a fire ground for trying to get advice and remain within instructions."

Mr Skarratts said the order directly contravened safety guidelines, which stated that acetylene cylinders should not be removed until they had been cooled for 24 hours.

He said: "Any shock to the cylinders could have caused a massive explosion. They were given the order well before the 24-hour period had expired.

"They did not disobey the order. They simply asked for more advice at a more senior level. Instead, they were sent back to the fire station.

"Here, they were met by more senior officers who told them to go home."

London Fire Brigade is currently calling for improved government controls over the safe use, signage and storage of acetylene gas cylinders and a greater awareness of the dangers when the cylinders are involved in fires and other incidents.

As part of its Safe Cylinder Campaign, the service says acetylene presents a unique risk in comparison to all other bottled gases due to its instability and the risk of explosion remains for 24 hours.

The FBU has now made an official complaint to the Merseyside Fire Authority and the fire service's joint secretary, assistant chief officer Bill Evans.

Merseyside fire service declined to comment because disciplinary proceedings had begun.

The fire was at an empty warehouse in Rock Ferry on Wednesday night.

A total of 875 people had to be taken out of their homes as police imposed a 200-metre exclusion zone.

Eight fire crews were called to the warehouse on Railway Road at 9.30pm and worked through the night to extinguish the blaze.

It is understood that another crew was then brought in to assist British Oxygen in removing the acetylene cylinder.

Authority member and Liverpool Lib-Dem councillor Eddie Clein said: "We will take the complaint seriously, but we have to hear what the officer concerned has to say.

"But we certainly would not countenance any kind of action that would place our firefighters in any kind of danger."

The fresh row shows the levels of animosity within the fire service.

The National Joint Council (NJC) has agreed to manage fresh negotiations this month after relations between the two sides have remained at critical levels.

More than 1,000 firefighters began strike action in August and only returned to work on September 29 after the NJC was brought in to manage gridlocked negotiations.

It has now emerged that the FBU has lodged 30 complaints about the conduct of managers and officers.

The union says it filed the complaints after the service refused to drop 19 disciplinary actions against striking firefighters. Union leaders say fire chiefs breached the return to work settlement by going ahead with the disciplinary cases.

Firefighters have told the Daily Post that morale is at an all- time low because the animosity between union members and non- members has continued.

And many fear their promotion chances have been ruined after taking part in the strike, but the fire service insists it is sticking to the terms of the contract struck by both sides.

One firefighter, who did not wish to be named, told the Daily Post: "Behind the scenes, there is still a lot of animosity.

"There are real threats. Firefighters who went on strike feel intimidated. They can't look sideways or they are on charges.

"Morale is very poor. There is a general feeling that anybody who went on strike will not be able to progress in their careers.

"A lot of the firefighters who worked during the strike are now watch managers."

A spokesman for the fire service said striking firefighters were not being denied promotion opportunities.

He said: "This issue was raised by the union and we asked for evidence of their claims.

"We asked for names and we are still waiting."

Written by Daily Post; Liverpool