Middletown, Pembroke yesterday has come in for criticism.

One neighbour said the blaze erupted at 4.50 a.m. but the Fire Service was not at the scene until 5.20 a.m. -- and when they came the water truck was empty.

"The fire started and around 5.03 a.m. and seven people called the Police,'' the unidentified woman said. "911 did not answer and we were told to dial the Police.

"This fire was terrible and the Fire Service took their own sweet time coming in and arrived at 5.20 a.m. One truck did not even have any water.'' The woman alleged that the reason for the slow Police and Fire response was that the blaze had occurred in Middletown.

Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning said he had reviewed the incident and there was no evidence to suggest the Police response was slow.

"Last night (Hallowe'en) we were very stretched,'' he said. "But the Police take fires very seriously that is why we endeavour to get there at the earliest opportunity.'' Fire Service spokesman Lt. John Thompson said six appliances and 16 personnel responded to the fire which was reported extinguished at 7.08.

Its cause and the amount of damage that was caused are currently under investigation.

Lt. Thompson said the fire was raging when they arrived after receiving the first call at 5.11 a.m.

"We got multiple calls after the initial call was received at 5.11 a.m.,'' he said. "The board just lit up.'' The number of calls caused a minute delay in the dispatching of the team as they tried to get the correct location. But at 5.18 they were on the scene.

Lt. Thompson said one Fire Service truck did run out of water but it was not true to say they arrived with an empty water truck.

Some of the Service's water trucks have the capacity to carry 500 gallons of water but an inch and a half nozzle hose delivered 150 gallons of water in a minute.