A MEMORIAL service to commemorate seven firefighters who died 43 years ago while tackling a blaze has taken place.

Crews from the then Glasgow Fire Service raced to the scene of a fire at the Sher Brothers’ warehouse in Kilbirnie Street shortly after 11.20am on the morning of Friday August 25, 1972.

As firefighters attacked the blaze in the attic, flames spread through hidden voids in its walls to leave them almost completely surrounded.

The intense heat from the inferno and the emerging danger led the incident commander, Divisional Officer Andrew Quinn, to order his teams from the building; but as they made their retreat Fireman James Rook became trapped.

They managed to pull him out but were on their way to safety when the fire ignited the hardwood ceilings on the first floor, causing a massive flashover.

The near simultaneous ignition of all combustible materials in the room caused an instant burst of flame and enveloped the men in a wave of heat measuring over 500 degrees Celsius.

Divisional Officer Andrew Quinn, Leading Fireman Alistair Crofts, Fireman Iain Bermingham, Fireman Allan Finlay, Fireman William Hooper, Fireman Duncan McMillan and Fireman James Rook were all killed.

Fireman Hugh Welsh was on the floor below when the flashover occurred.

He saw the flames burst across the ceiling and delayed his escape to run up the stairs and haul injured Brian Murray to safety.

In recognition of his actions he was awarded the Glasgow Corporation Medal for Bravery by the city authorities.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay, the chairman of the SFRS Heritage Committee, said: “The terrible events of that day must never be forgotten and we owe it to those who gave their lives to remember their courage and devotion.

“Firefighters of the time served in an era when industrial, commercial and residential buildings in the city were very densely packed, when safety regulations were much more lax and when there was a much poorer understanding of fire risks.

“The Kilbirnie Street fire claimed seven lives and had a devastating effect on countless others. Families, friends and colleagues continued to suffer for a very long time.”

Thousands of Glaswegians lined the route of the men’s funeral processions and they were laid to rest in the Necropolis, where the fire service holds an annual memorial service on the anniversary of the disaster.