This video is currently unavailable
Can’t see video? Update Adobe Flash Player
Video may take a moment to load. Return to Video Index
One firefighter has died and three others are missing, presumed dead, following a massive warehouse fire in the Midlands.
See also: Fatal warehouse blaze photos
Emergency services today began scouring the fire-ravaged warehouse for their missing colleagues after parts of the roof collapsed.
The tragedy is one of the worst for the Fire Service since the Second World War.
It is thought the firefighters may have gone inside the building believing there were people trapped inside.
More than 80 firefighters worked into the early hours battling the flames at a vegetable packing warehouse on an industrial estate in Atherstone on Stour, near Stratford upon Avon, in Warwickshire.
One firefighter was taken to Warwick Hospital with critical injuries, but despite repeated attempts to resuscitate him he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
The county’s chief fire officer William Brown said today “we have grave concerns” for three missing firefighters. He also admitted that it had been the “worst day of his career”. But he praised the crews, including many from Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire and the West Midlands, saying the firefighters had “acted heroically in what they did.”
Mr Brown said: “We are deeply shocked by this event in Warwickshire, this is a tragic event and our hearts and thoughts go out to those affected, families and colleagues both locally and nationally.
“One of our firefighters has died and three are still missing and we have grave concerns for them.
We are working closely with the police to find out how it started and how it had such a devastating effect.”
By Sarah Moran
17 Comments
good luck hope they are ok. and for the 1 that has passed away many regards to his family, and R.I.P mate. x
Ohh god.
These young men face the flames and danger every day and yet they have to beg for wages rises.
Maybe now someone will realise that the men and women of our Fire Brigades are heros and need paying as such.
To all the lads on the watch who have lost their mate..god bless and may all who are injured have a speedy recovery and be by your sides soon.
this is a very sad time for the whole of the midlands. Firefighters are brave for what they do. R.I.P Firefighters i hope they find the other 3
rip brave men
I feel sickened to the pit of my stomach that one has lost his life & others are missing.
Yet these brave men put their lives on the line 24/7, for what seems like a pittance, in these days when footballers get over £100,000 per week.
To further compound matters, they are increasingly becoming targets for mindless morons, who take delight in stoneing the Fire crews in their daily duties & robbing vital equipment from the Fire tenders.
God bless them
My thoughts and prayers are with the families and colleagues
RIP Lads… you are all true heros
I can only agree with the other posters. The emergency services and armed forces of our country are all heroes and this just brings it home. Next time you are in a pub with one of them, buy them a pint and let them know we appreciate them.
May God be with you and your families, God bless from your Fire Fighting brothers in the US
our prayers go out to you all.
This is a very sad day for all firefighters around the world.
My thoughts go out to all there loved ones.
But i have to say i am very annoyed
that the papers and news are saying
these guys are part time,they are
RETAINED FIREFIGHTERS,like myself
they are on call 24/7 365 days a
year and do a great job.
john from lothian and borders fire service in scotland
AS A MEMBER OF THE FIRE BRIGADE SOCIETY MAY I SAY MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH ALL THE FIREFIGHTERS AND THERE FAMILIES WHO SO BRAVELY FOUGHT SUCH A FIRE AND ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND ARE MISSING GOD BLESS YOU ALL PAUL
i am so sorry to hear about the loss of four of the firefighters from stratford and alecester
we are so sorry about the loss of your 4 firefighter and we hope you can find the 3 missing men from luke and charlotte xx
My thoughts are with the families of the four unfortunate firemen. As an ex retained firefighter I would like to make a donation to any collection in aid of these families & others like them
warwickshire brigade will try and put the blame onto someone 4 this. they will put everything down to the officer in charge at the scene and there risk assesment as if he/she hasn’t suffered too. what senior managment forgets is that its impossible for a fire fighter to turn his back when there might be a chance that someone could be trapped.
rip my friends.
ahely n darren were smashing lads n still r in my eyes i will always miss them beying a young fire fighters every moday they r ture heros n all i want to say really is stick togeter all 4 o u i dident no ian or john but u will foreva be rememba in my hart R.I.Plads i will miss u “G”R.I.P m8