Smoke poured from the former Budgens building in Helston on Monday evening as firefighters wearing oxygen tanks ran inside with hoses.

However, while at first glance it may have appeared an emergency was unfolding, in fact everything was in hand.

Crews from Helston and Mullion fire stations were there to practice their rescue skills in a large, complex building scenario.

Pumped full of smoke, so thick they couldn’t see their hand in front of them, the crews were tasked with using heat seeking cameras, known as thermal imaging cameras, to find the source of the ‘fire’ as well as five ‘casualties’ – four of which were dummies and the fifth a real live person.

Crews used heat-seeking thermal imaging cameras to find five 'casualties' (Image: Jonathan Kearsley) These were hidden amongst the many rooms that now make up what used to be the former supermarket shop floor, but will next year become a large health hub for the town, including a new home for the Meneage Street Surgery.

READ MORE: Helston Budgens building to be new GP practice in Cornwall

Helston crew manager Nigel Rimmer told the Packet that it was a rare opportunity to train in a large building, with lots of rooms and also building equipment adding extra obstacles.

You can see a live video of the action unfolding below: 

Speaking just before the practice began, he said: “We’re taking advantage of the generosity of the site manager, Jonathan, who is letting us come down and do an exercise.

“Being a complex building, we don’t get the opportunity to get in them very often.

“It’s been kept pitch black and is really smoke logged, so we’re using thermal imaging cameras.”

Smoke starts to fill the inside of the building (Image: Jonathan Kearsley) Site manager Jonathan Kearsley, who is overseeing redevelopment of the building into the GP surgery and health hub as project manager, said it was a good way to support the local community.

Explaining how the training scenario would work, he said: “They’re pretending this is a real life incident on a construction site.

“I will describe hazards in the building and how many people are missing. They are all hidden where you would least expect it.”

Site manager Jonathan Kearsley (left) and Helston crew manager Nigel Rimmer (right) with another crew member ahead of the drill (Image: Helston Packet) He added that the team setting up the scenario were the only ones who would know where the ‘casualties’ were, with the firefighters - quite literally - in the dark.

“There aren’t many buildings in Helston this big. It’s a great opportunity for them, and also a community project. If it helps the community in any way, that’s what we need to do,” he said.

The trauma unit 'assess the casualties' (Image: Helston Packet) Both Helston and Mullion stations have retained fire crews, meaning the fire fighters have other jobs but can be called away at a moment’s notice when the alarm is raised.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service is currently recruiting on-call firefighters at 26 stations across the Duchy.

Fire fighters get kitted up to go inside (Image: Jonathan Kearsley) Read more about how to apply here: How to become a firefighter in Cornwall - all 26 stations recruiting

Locally they include Mullion and St Keverne fire stations, as well as Penzance, Hayle, Falmouth and Truro.