FIREFIGHTERS put their new equipment and training and good use when they tackled a fire at a derelict college in Rochester.

A crew from Strood fire station were called out to the former Mid Kent College campus in City Way, Rochester, after a fire broke out in an office at about 5.15pm.

The fire, which was relatively small, filled the multi-storey building with thick smoke and as the firefighters had only just completed their training to use the new equipment that afternoon, they put it to good use.

The PPV (Positive Pressure Ventilation) machine was used to disperse the smoke in a quick amount of time.

A spokesman for Kent Fire and Rescue Service, said: “The crew had been to Ashford earlier that day so they could learn how to use the new equipment.

“They finished their training at about 3pm and the PPV machine, which is a giant fan, was then put on the fire engine ready for use.

So about two hours later they had a chance to use it and did so, the machine is excellent at dispersing smoke from buildings, all in all the crew were on site for about two hours.

“After putting the fire out, which didn’t take that long, the boys were very impressed with how well the PPV machine worked.

“We suspect the fire may have been started deliberately.”