Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement


Firefighters' honour guard for dead colleagues

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 07 November 2007
By RUSSELL JACKSON
FIREFIGHTERS formed a guard of honour last night as the bodies of three of their colleagues were retrieved from a burnt-out warehouse. Two hundred firefighters and about 30 relatives lined the roadside outside the vegetable packing warehouse to pay a silent tribute to Darren Yates-Badley, 24, Ashley Stephens, 20, and John Averis, 27.
Their colleague Ian Reid, 44, also died when the blaze broke out at the plant in Atherstone on Stour, Warwickshire on Friday night.

Among the crowd were members of the Women's Royal Volunteer Service, ambulance staff and police who stood side by side with fire crews as the bodies were driven away from the site in a black van, flanked by two police outriders.

William Brown, Warwickshire county fire officer said: "We've now got all four colleagues who we've lost in this tragic incident. Our hearts and our minds and our thoughts are with the families and once again we offer them our condolences at this very sad time for them.

"This fire will be marked forever in Warwickshire."

Police are still treating the blaze as suspicious.



Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 06 November 2007 11:57 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: The emergency services
 
1

SouthernSkye,

07/11/2007 06:56:00

So sad, just men doing their job.
If it was arson I hope the instigator is caught and sent down for a looong time.

2

Boy Wonder,

07/11/2007 07:15:14

#1. SS ... I think those sentiments will be rightly echoed by other posters today! A sad time for the Fire Brigade indeed.

3

Cadgers,

Perth 07/11/2007 07:48:11

#1 Very well said SouthernSkye.

4

scully,

colchester 07/11/2007 08:53:11

How can you console the greiving family,s of the Firemen who have died, Even time can not heal completley, Its a deep sore pain that you have to survive for the childrens sake.

They have gone on to Glory. but the family,s are left wih all the pain that the death of some one you love brings.

Be strong and hold your head high. for it is tough to come through thre greiving process, But you will make it, and the love in your heart for the one you loved will always be there

5

Helen,

07/11/2007 10:20:40

Arson is a terrible crime and it's the innocent who usually suffer. People are in high risk jobs but never really think they'll go to work and be killed doing their job. My sincere sympathy to their family, friends and colleagues.

6

Isabel,

07/11/2007 12:51:32

My sincere sympathy goes to all affected by this tragic loss of lives.

Like others, I hope the criminal who started this fir is caught and dealt with severely.


 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
  

 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.