Fire Engines Photos

This is the same station that responded first to the multiple fatality fire at the Worsley Hotel in Maida Vale on Friday December 13, 1974.

Hamish Petit, a probationary firefighter at Paddington, was one of the seven fatalities, after a collapse trapped him and three colleagues inside the building. His story is included in Gordon Honeycombe's famous account of that night, "Red Watch".

At the time the station had two Dennis F101 dual purpose pumps including one with a 50 foot escape ladder, A Merryweather turntable ladder and, on that fateful night, an already twenty year old reserve Merryweather emergency tender - which is in preservation and has been posted on this site many times. The Red Watch manned these with a total of nineteen firemen.

This nighttime fire - involving a fully occupied hotel building - eventually brought more than 200 London firefighters and 40 appliances to the scene.

Numerous rescues were carried out and no less than 22 awards for gallantry were made - the highest number for a single incident in the history of the Brigade.

Having been started on several different floors, the fire was deemed to be arson, and a hotel employee was arrested, convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Added by Rob Johnson on 19 June 2018.

Comment removed at request of Commentor

Rob, that night A21 was running two Dennis F106 Pumps.The Pump was SMH322F but I'm not sure of the PE which would have been a reserve I believe in place of the Allocted Dennis F109. The TL was JUL57D and the ET the famous Regent Merryweather OXT779 of which I had the privilege of riding from this very station last Christmas fully crewed in full 60's fire kit to the LFB carol service courtesey the owner.
A memorable evening indeed!

Added by Kyle on 24 June 2018.

Kyle- Thanks for the details. I actually knew the dual purpose Dennis were not the old F101, but finger fumbled that! All four of the assigned units were actually together in a photo, which was included in the Red Watch book...

I once saw OXT 779 in action at a large fire in 1968, when I think it may have been still in front line service. To my surprise, there seemed to be only one policeman there, and he let me wander around the entire fireground - after illegally parking my car!

This would not happen in Chicago, where I live now, because the police respond to all working fire calls and do a great job keeping civilians and traffic well out of the way.



Added by Rob Johnson on 27 June 2018.

rob, andy and kyle
thanks for the comments
i really appreciate them

Added by Oliver Todd on 04 July 2018.

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