A special plaque commemorating the seven firefighters who lost their lives in a Glasgow fire 50 years ago this month is set to be unveiled.
The red plaque will pay tribute to firefighters Andrew Quinn, Alistair Crofts, Iain Bermingham, Allan Finlay, William Hooper, Duncan McMillan, and James Rook who were tragically killed during the blaze at the Sher Brothers warehouse in Kilbirnie Street on August 25, 1972.
The brave men had been attempting to rescue fellow firefighter Rook, who was trapped, when they encountered a massive flashover of extreme heat, resulting in their deaths. The ceiling also collapsed.
It was one of the highest losses of life for the UK fire and rescue service at a single incident in peacetime.
READ MORE: Remembering the tragic Glasgow fire that killed seven firemen
The tribute is part of a national Red Plaque Scheme run by the Fire Brigades Union and funded through the Firefighters 100 Lottery, aiming to commemorate firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
The unveiling of the new plaque is taking place at the site of the fire on Kilbirnie Street, Port Eglinton, at 1.30pm on Sunday, 28 August, three days after the 50 year anniversary of the incident. Organisers say members of the public wishing to attend are welcome.
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Ben Selby (FBU Vice President), Colin Brown (FBU Executive Council Member for Scotland), Ross Haggart (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Chief Officer) and Bailie Norman MacLeod (Glasgow City Council) will speak at the unveiling and pay tribute to the sacrifice of the seven firefighters who died.
Seona Hart, FBU Scotland Regional Treasurer, said: “This incident was a tragedy which had a huge impact on firefighters and the community locally. The plaque will help us all remember the huge sacrifice these firefighters made keeping the public safe.
“Firefighters put their lives on the line, and their selfless work to protect others deserves to be remembered. The Red Plaque Scheme plays an important role for the loved ones of firefighters who have died in the line of duty, so that their sacrifices are not forgotten, as well as sharing their stories with the community.”
The Red Plaque Scheme is fully funded by proceeds from the weekly Firefighters 100 Lottery which has been able to create several Plaques each year since it began in 2017.
In the aftermath of the Kilbirnie Street tragedy, the bodies of six of the seven firemen were taken to the Glasgow Necropolis where they were interred in the vault under the Cheapside Street memorial. The names of all seven firefighters are recorded on the south face of the memorial.
More information on the Red Plaque Scheme can be found at: www.firefighters100lottery.co.uk.
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