On Monday 28 March 1960 – Described by the Firemaster of Glasgow Fire Service, Martin Chadwick C.B.E., M.I.F.E., M.I.E.S., in his subsequent report as: ‘With the exception of those Officers and Men of the Fire Services who lost their lives during the last war as a result of enemy action, it is the worst disaster recorded in the history of the British Fire Service within the functions of its normal peace-time tasks.’
He was describing the loss of 14 Fire Service and 5 Salvage Corps personnel at what would be become known worldwide as the Cheapside Street Fire.
The bonded warehouses of Messrs Arbuckle, Smith and Co. in Anderston, Glasgow, which at the time contained over a million gallons of whisky and rum, were open beyond their normal closing time of 5 pm on the day as additional work was being carried out. An initial call to the Fire Service at 7.15 pm reported a smell of burning wood and smoke emerging from the second floor of No.1 bond and this resulted in an initial attendance of 2 pumps, a Turntable Ladder and a Fireboat from Glasgow Fire Service as well as a Glasgow Salvage Corps Tender. Subsequently a total of 30 pumps would be in attendance amongst a myriad of other special appliances.
Initial Breathing Apparatus crews had been unsuccessful in tracing the seat of the fire and at approx. 7.50pm an explosion occurred which blew the walls, both frontages, onto their respective streets, Cheapside and Warroch.. The ‘explosion’ was later described as ‘more of a whoosh than a violent detonation’. Appliances were destroyed and personnel injured and killed as a result and the deteriorating fire situation, which at its peak would see 450 men engaged in firefighting and the Fireboat supplying water via 31 lines of delivery hose, made their recovery difficult. Indeed, the bodies of those killed in Warroch Street were not recovered until the morning of the 31st March and the fire burned for a week.
All 19 killed were interred in 2 vaults at Glasgow Necropolis on 5th April, 1960. Subsequently the brave actions of personnel at the incident resulted in the awarding of 2 George Medals, 3 British Empire Medals for Gallantry, a Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct and 6 letters of appreciation for personal gallantry and devotion to duty from the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Even today this incident still ranks as the Fire Services worst peace-time disaster though the fire death toll would be exceeded in November 1968 again in Glasgow.