Great Western Road

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Postby BTJustice » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:08 pm

Fireman wrote: not too good I'm afraid, but the car was my pride and joy. :D

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Landcrab, brilliant. Im glad I'm not the only person with their car in every pic.
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Postby Field Marshall Shug » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:28 pm

Cracking photies! I have just moved right next to all this and it is giving me a keen understanding of the area.
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Postby Fireman » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:29 pm

Simba wrote:Bit of background to the fire to the non Weegies here? ;)


Hi Simba,

The Maryhill Road fire was on the 18th November 1972, on a Saturday afternoon that by the end of the incident had killed a family friend, Alice "Trixi" Mulgrew and a Glasgow Fire Service Sub Officer - Adrian McGill.

The final outcome was -
41 Dwelling houses destroyed by fire and / or demolition resulting from fire damage.
6 Shops destroyed by fire / demolition.
2 Public Houses destroyed by fire / demolition.
1 Post Office destroyed by demolition.

15 civilians rescued by Extension or Turntable Ladder.
In addition to the above rescues the official investigation estimated that “other” rescues numbered 100 to 200.

6 Glasgow Fire Service personnel and 6 civilians were removed to hospital.
(1 Fire Service fatality.)
(1 Civilian fatality.)
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Postby Smartalex » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:42 pm

Fireman, with detailed description like that I can see you being an Asset to the Forum. 8)
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Postby Simba » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:46 pm

Fireman wrote:
Simba wrote:Bit of background to the fire to the non Weegies here? ;)


Hi Simba,

The Maryhill Road fire was on the 18th November 1972, on a Saturday afternoon that by the end of the incident had killed a family friend, Alice "Trixi" Mulgrew and a Glasgow Fire Service Sub Officer - Adrian McGill.

The final outcome was -
41 Dwelling houses destroyed by fire and / or demolition resulting from fire damage.
6 Shops destroyed by fire / demolition.
2 Public Houses destroyed by fire / demolition.
1 Post Office destroyed by demolition.

15 civilians rescued by Extension or Turntable Ladder.
In addition to the above rescues the official investigation estimated that “other” rescues numbered 100 to 200.

6 Glasgow Fire Service personnel and 6 civilians were removed to hospital.
(1 Fire Service fatality.)
(1 Civilian fatality.)


Thanks for that. :) I agree with Alex, you could be very useful! Were you involved in any other big fires around that time? The Grosvenor?
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Postby Fireman » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:57 pm

I was at the Grosvenor fire, but not as a fireman, I was a spectator - we were on strike at the time. It was the military who were the fire-fighting crews, commanded by fire brigade officers who weren't part of the strike.

I stood and watched the building burn down, and whilst no criticism directed at the military crews who were doing their job as best they could, the origins of the fire were a routine call for the full-time crews that would have normally attended. I suppose its a subjective argument as to whether the regular firemen could have extinguished the fire at the outset - we'll never know.
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Postby Simba » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:59 pm

Fireman wrote:I was at the Grosvenor fire, but not as a fireman, I was a spectator - we were on strike at the time. It was the military who were the fire-fighting crews, commanded by fire brigade officers who weren't part of the strike.

I stood and watched the building burn down, and whilst no criticism directed at the military crews who were doing their job as best they could, the origins of the fire were a routine call for the full-time crews that would have normally attended. I suppose its a subjective argument as to whether the regular firemen could have extinguished the fire at the outset - we'll never know.


Ah silly me, I was trying to think of other fires in the area, and the Grosvenor one popped into my mind and I even thought about the 'Green Goddesses' and still asked you! :oops: It was the only other fire I could think of that I know of off the top of my head!
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Postby Fireman » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:59 pm

Smartalex wrote:Fireman, with detailed description like that I can see you being an Asset to the Forum. 8)


That's very kind of you, thank you - I'm looking forward to enjoying the chat with you folks.
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Postby Fireman » Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:06 pm

No worries Simba - I've been there to. :wink:

1972 was the seeing the end of Glasgow's reputation as being what the press had labeled the city - "The Tinderbox City". I started in Glasgow Fire Service in March 1972 and major fires were very regular, it was the time to learn your trade if you know what I mean.

The Kilbirnie Street disaster had just occured only 11 weeks previously, where 7 firemen and officers were killed in Sher Bros' warehouse. There is reference to it in TheGlasgowStory.com if you want to see some pictures of the fire.
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Postby HollowHorn » Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:01 am

You coming for a beer on Friday night, Firey?
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Postby Fireman » Thu Jan 25, 2007 6:47 am

Got a retiral do on Friday night HH - do you guys meet at a regular time / place?
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Postby dimairt » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:25 am

Here are some more photos of the fire. As you can see from these and Fireman's contributions, it was a major incident.

Le dùrachd,
Dimairt

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Postby AlanM » Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:31 am

That second shot is very impressive, shows the power and ferocity of the fire.
Who needs a six pack....when you've got a keg!!!
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Postby HollowHorn » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:39 pm

Fireman wrote:Got a retiral do on Friday night HH - do you guys meet at a regular time / place?

No, it tends to be same time, different place. That way we get to write lists.

You are right about the second shot, Alan, unusual to see the flames like that.
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Postby Fireman » Thu Jan 25, 2007 9:35 pm

AlanM wrote:That second shot is very impressive, shows the power and ferocity of the fire.


That's the Gt Western Side of Bruces Furniture store, which ran from Maryhill Rd under the tenements, through the back courts forming a "high-back" and then under the Gt Western Rd side of the tenements to exit where you see the flames.

The reason the fire is so developed is think of a gas burner on your cooker - the flammable interior of the shop is being heated to such an extent that the cabonacious materials are not only burning, they are giving off flammable gasses that intensify the fire. The combined effect of the through-and-through construction created an free air flow from the Maryhill Rd side of the store, which in turn generated combustion conditions that resulted in an extremely powerful flame front. What you are looking at is not a common sight in fire-fighting; granted most people will have seen images of fires exiting out of openings in buildings, but consider the height of those flames and then think about what you normally have seen - that's a free burning fire with a lot of energy behind it and virtually no smothering effect from the products of combustion - and let me tell you that type of fire is an absolute roaster!
Last edited by Fireman on Thu Jan 25, 2007 10:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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