Investigation into firefighters' deaths (From This is Hampshire)

Investigation into Southampton firefighters' deaths

1:05pm Wednesday 7th April 2010 in News By Simon Carr, Eastleigh Chief Reporter

A TOP-LEVEL investigation has been launched into how two "valiant" fireman were killed tackling a devastating blaze in a high-rise Hampshire tower block.

Fire bosses and police chiefs have vowed to find the cause behind the Shirley Towers fire and the deaths and say it is not yet known is "something went wrong."

The two dead firefighters have been named as 35-year-old James Shears and 38-year-old Alan Bannon.

James had been serving with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service for almost seven years while Alan had eight and half years experience.

They were both full-time firefighters with Red Watch based at St Mary's.

Chief fire officer John Bonney said: "Their first concern was the safety of the public and their second was the safety of their fellow crew members.

"I think it is a tribute to them that we saw such a deployment and there was some very valiant behaviour that night.

"Whether something went wrong, we will discover in due course and if there is something that went wrong we will address that."

The fire broke out on the seventh floor in flat 72 of the Church Road building in Southampton, at 8.14pm last night.

Another two firefighters have been taken to hospital by ambulance with burns to their hands and since discharged.

More than 160 firefighters from 19 stations from around Hampshire and beyond battled the flames until 12.43am and evacuated 24 flats.

Police cordoned off nearby streets.

Chief superintendent Matthew Greening said: "On behalf of Hampshire Constabulary, I wish to express my deepest condolences to the families of the firefighters lost in this tragic incident.

"We work very closely with our colleagues from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service and I know the devastating impact this will have on the organisation."

South Central Ambulance head of operations Neil Cook said: "This will be felt across emergency services not just in Hampshire but across the whole country."

He said seven casualties were taken to hospital initially and more were taken during from the nearby Salvation Army rest centre.

The joint police and fire service investigation into the cause of fire is under way and the Health and Safety Executive have been notified.

Three HSE officers are currently at the scene.

Residents were provided with emergency accommodation last night by Southampton City Council.

There is no set time scale for when they will be able to return.

Mr Bonney added: "We are devastated by the loss of our colleagues who died in the line of duty.

"Our thoughts are with their families, with their friends and their colleagues who have all been stunned by these events.

"I would like to pay tribute to the courage, dedication and service of those firefighters.

"This tragic incident is another tragic reminder of the danger that emergency services put themselves in day in, day out to ensure the safety of the public."