Emergency Services Disasters: 1972 Kilbirnie Street Fire

The Kilbirnie Street fire, on Friday 25 August 1972, was a warehouse fire in the Port Eglinton area, on the south side of Glasgow, Scotland, which killed seven Glasgow Fire Service firemen in a flashover while they were trying to rescue a trapped colleague. What started as a routine industrial premises fire resulted in one of the highest losses of life for the UK Fire Service at a single incident in peacetime.
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Emergency Services Disasters, inspired by Allec Joshua Ibay's Air Disasters series on KZbin, takes a look at the fires, the shootings, the rescues, the line-of-duty-deaths, and other incidents that shaped the fire service, the police service, and the ambulance service across the whole world. This series is not for the faint of heart, as it contains depictions of death and injury.
Music used (in order):
Heartfelt Tears by MusicLFiles
Free download: filmmusic.io/song/8903-heartf...
License (CC BY 4.0): filmmusic.io/standard-license
The Only Light Is Gone by Dalo Vian
Please support Dalo Vian and Allec Joshua Ibay on KZbin:
/ @dalovian (Dalo Vian)
/ @allecjoshuaibay (Allec Joshua Ibay)

[@defibme]

It's been a privilege, to by accident have been the young teenager who just happened to be there on that terrible memorable day, and take the pictures you see here. I am proud they've been used in such a wonderful presentation. I have quite a few more if you ever wish to use them.

[@citystatestudios6621]

Thank you for the reply and the kind words. As a firefighter/EMT myself, this series is a bit of a personal thing for me. Your pictures are incredible. You can email me at [e-mail] if you want.

[@grahamdobson7428]

Thank you for your pictures. Only just seen this. 😢😢as a retired fire man R I P BROTHERS 😢😢

[@habichiblah7534]

My Dad was there, and fortunately survived, to continue a long career all the way to retirement in the Fire Brigade,. We lost him last week to natural causes, and Scottish Fire Brigade Heritage Trust will kindly be sending one of the 'scooshers' that was there on that day to form part of his funeral cortage in the upcoming days. Thank you.

[@burnh4mgabby830]

Leading fireman Hugh Welsh was awarded the Lord Mayor's award for bravery for his actions in rescuing a fellow fireman from this blaze. I spoke with him on Boxing Day 2023 and told me some more details of this horrific event. We agreed to meet up this May (2024) to catch up on old times but sadly didn't make it and sadly died RIP Hugh Welsh hero of Kilbirnie Street disaster.

[@YelpBullhorn]

It's so hard to believe that seven firefighters could lose their lives in at one incident like that. So sad. Bless you, heroes. Thank you and rest in peace. 💜

[@jeffreyashton6405]

as a retired firefighter i know firefighting is dangerous firefighters go to work and do their job with tremendous efficency and at times some pay the ultimate price with their lives god bless all the men who fight fires

[@wilsjane]

Once everyone inside is accounted for, firefighters should not be expected to risk their lives working inside buildings which are going to be beyond repair afterwards. Why, after the building was classified as high risk, the company were allowed to continue using it for large scale storage of flammable stock was the real question.

[@grahamdobson7428]

As a retired fire only just seen this 😢😢 R I P BROTHERS 😢 😔 🙏 THIS IS AS BAD AS IT GETS 😢 😢

[@pappaalpha4759]

RIP Brothers.

[@JamesSmith-ro2tz]

Twenty one posthumous awards were given to the families on their behalf. Seven Queens Award for Bravery only given posthumously. Seven Glasgow Corporation Medal, Seven Carnegie Hero Trust Awards. Four Corporation Medals for Bravery given to Fire Officers who assisted and One Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct . Flashover condition occurred because of untreated hardboard lining the walls and ceiling of the floor below which was penetrated by the fire in the attic. The Department of the Environment had the information on the dangers of untreated hardboard but did not promulgate it to the Fire Services. They thought that they already knew. The Sheriff at the inquiry severely criticised the Department for its failure.

[@glennjohnston2267]

This was very classy and well done. 5 🌟 video

[@peterthompson3672]

I remember a guy telling folk he was paid to go in and set it on fire for the insurance money and once he had lit the fire one of the sher brothers locked him in so the blame would be all his but he managed to escape

[@cannonfodder6654]

Damn that a powerful video to watch ,whats the music?

[@citystatestudios6621]

Music is in the description! Thank you for watching!