Consul General thanks fire crews for Turkey relief efforts

Seyfi Onur Sayin also met with members of Blackburn based charity, Benefit Mankind before getting a taste of some the best curries in town at the award winning Kebabish.

The Turkish Consul General Seyfi Onur Sayin visited Chorley where he met the firefighters from Lancashire who were part of a wider UK team who flew to Turkey, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in February 2023. The team rescued more than a dozen people from the rubble.

The Consul General said he wanted to meet and personally thank the team for their ‘remarkable work’.

The visit was organised by former Burnley Councillor Mozaquir Ali and he joined the Consul General as they were welcomed by Chief Fire Officer Justin Johnstone and Deputy Chief Fire Officer Steve Healey.

The Consul General heard of how the firefighters along with their two trained dogs, demonstrated ‘unwavering commitment and bravery during the crisis’.

As a token of appreciation and gratitude Mr Onur Sayin presented a box of Turkish Delight to the team.

Chief Fire Officer Justine Johnston QFSM said, “We were delighted to welcome the Turkish Consul General to Lancashire Fire and Rescue where they met and thanked some of our ISAR (International Search and Rescue) team that was deployed to the recent earthquake.“

Councillor Mozaquir Ali, said, “I feel honoured and humbled to have been able to organise this visit and as a Briton and Lancastrian feel very proud of our Fire and Rescue Service who made such a tremendous contribution to the rescue efforts in Turkey at their hour of need.”

The Consul General then met with members of Benefit Mankind who raised £200,000 for the earthquake appeal and also carried out life-saving work on the ground in Turkey.

The visit concluded with a dinner at the popular Kababish Restaurant on Whalley New Road in Blackburn hosted by owner Arif Amin.