THE daughter of a Blaina firefighter, who died during a rescue attempt nearly 20 years ago, has blasted the decision to close the village’s fire station.

Members of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority voted for the closure of Blaina fire station at a meeting this morning in a secret ballot after a committee member received a “serious threat” for his or her voting stance.

The initial proposal was met with strong local opposition, but despite Blaenau Gwent council also rejecting the closure, members went ahead with the decision.

The fire authority has previously defended plans to shut Blaina fire station saying it was not predicted to increase fatalities and could save up to £158,000 a year.

But Christina Griffin, the daughter of Steven Griffin who died on duty in 1996, told the Argus it was undemocratic to close the station after more than 3,000 people signed a petition against its closure.

Ms Griffin, who was 16 at the time of her father’s death and has taken a prominent part in the protests against the station’s closure, said: “In my head I was expecting it, but in my heart I hoped they would have listened.

“There were over 3,000 people against the closure and they go against it – what more could we have done? This is not democracy, it’s a dictatorship.”

The mooted closure was part of a wide-ranging review by the fire authority into its stations and financial cuts, and following consultation, the “in principle” decision was made in June to close Blaina, with 15 jobs affected.

Last autumn, there were protests to the plans outside Blaina fire station, which lost two of its fire fighters in 1996, Mr Griffin and Kevin Lane during a rescue attempt in the village.

Blaenau Gwent council said the proposed closure of the station could present a “significant risk” to the area, as response time would increase to around 10 minutes, which could affect the local primary school in particular.

Ms Griffin added: “My son is at Ystruth Primary School, and I live to the east of Blaina, which will be most affected.

“In the scheme of things, the amount of money they are saving is nothing. But it’s more about the timing issue, and the safety of the firefighters themselves – they risk their lives every day. It only took minutes for my father to die. If they [Mr Griffin and Mr Lane] were here today, they’d be fighting against this too. We have been doing this for them.”

Blaenau Gwent Am Alun Davies said: “This decision is absolutely devastating, not only to the people of Blaina but to the whole borough.

“Thousands of people signed a petition and took part in the consultation is air their concerns, genuine fears for the safety of their communities if Blaina was to close.

“I have said all along that I do not believe South Wales Fire and Rescue Service’s assurance that closing this station will have no effect on the number of fatalities. This statement is completely contradicted by their own calculations that it will take firefighters an extra two-and-a-half minutes to reach the scene of an emergency if Blaina was no longer operating.

“How can they assure the public those vital minutes will not effect fatalities?

“Firefighters in Blaina have served this area for generations and their sacrifices are well documented.

“To close the station of a first-class crew who risk their lives to serve their community is nothing short of a smack in the face and an insult to the memory of the two firefighters from Blaina who gave their lives in 1996

“Today I am writing to Chief Fire Officer Huw Jakeway and the chair of the Fire Authority appealing for an alternative way forward for the upper Ebbw Fach valley.

“We in Blaenau Gwent deserve better.”