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| Archbishop of Glasgow pays tribute to crash victims | Archbishop of Glasgow pays tribute to crash victims |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, has told a memorial service for the victims of Monday’s crash how he wept with the woman who lost both her daughter and parents when an out-of-control bin lorry ploughed through pedestrians in a city centre square thronged with Christmas shoppers. | The archbishop of Glasgow, Philip Tartaglia, has told a memorial service for the victims of Monday’s crash how he wept with the woman who lost both her daughter and parents when an out-of-control bin lorry ploughed through pedestrians in a city centre square thronged with Christmas shoppers. |
| Jacqueline McQuade, the mother of 18-year-old university student Erin, was withdrawing money from a cash machine when she heard the screams of her daughter and parents, Jack and Lorraine Sweeney, as the lorry mounted the pavement. | Jacqueline McQuade, the mother of 18-year-old university student Erin, was withdrawing money from a cash machine when she heard the screams of her daughter and parents, Jack and Lorraine Sweeney, as the lorry mounted the pavement. |
| Describing the “abyss” of the family’s loss, the Catholic archbishop told the congregation at St Andrew’s Cathedral: “On the evening of the tragedy I was privileged to be permitted to spend time with one of the families who had been cruelly devastated by the incident. | Describing the “abyss” of the family’s loss, the Catholic archbishop told the congregation at St Andrew’s Cathedral: “On the evening of the tragedy I was privileged to be permitted to spend time with one of the families who had been cruelly devastated by the incident. |
| “[The woman] had seen her own daughter and parents killed almost in front of her. Can you imagine the horror? Can you imagine the loss? We spoke together, we cried and we were silent before the abyss of their loss and the random meaninglessness of what had happened.” | “[The woman] had seen her own daughter and parents killed almost in front of her. Can you imagine the horror? Can you imagine the loss? We spoke together, we cried and we were silent before the abyss of their loss and the random meaninglessness of what had happened.” |
| Leading the mass of consolation, Tartaglia read through the names of the dead. Six people were killed on Monday afternoon: 18-year-old student Erin McQuade; her grandparents Jack, 68, and Lorraine, 69, all from Dumbarton; primary school teacher Stephenie Tait, 29, from Glasgow; Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh; and Jacqueline Morton, 51, a grandmother and tax worker also from Glasgow. | Leading the mass of consolation, Tartaglia read through the names of the dead. Six people were killed on Monday afternoon: 18-year-old student Erin McQuade; her grandparents Jack, 68, and Lorraine, 69, all from Dumbarton; primary school teacher Stephenie Tait, 29, from Glasgow; Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh; and Jacqueline Morton, 51, a grandmother and tax worker also from Glasgow. |
| The service was attended by members of the public, politicians including Scotland’s deputy first minister, John Swinney, and the shadow Scottish secretary, Margaret Curran, representatives of the police and emergency services, and the chairman of Celtic Football Club, Peter Lawell. | The service was attended by members of the public, politicians including Scotland’s deputy first minister, John Swinney, and the shadow Scottish secretary, Margaret Curran, representatives of the police and emergency services, and the chairman of Celtic Football Club, Peter Lawell. |
| Prayers were offered for the dead and injured, their families and friends, the emergency services who dealt with the incident and all those affected across the city. Tartaglia spoke of the especially poignant timing of the crash: “Just over a year ago we had the Clutha disaster [when 10 died after a police helicopter crashed into a Clydeside pub] and now we have the George Square tragedy.” He added: “Just as we were preparing for Christmas our city of Glasgow is in mourning again.” | Prayers were offered for the dead and injured, their families and friends, the emergency services who dealt with the incident and all those affected across the city. Tartaglia spoke of the especially poignant timing of the crash: “Just over a year ago we had the Clutha disaster [when 10 died after a police helicopter crashed into a Clydeside pub] and now we have the George Square tragedy.” He added: “Just as we were preparing for Christmas our city of Glasgow is in mourning again.” |
| Ten people were also injured as the lorry mounted the pavement at speed, scattering pedestrians “like pinballs”, according to witnesses. | Ten people were also injured as the lorry mounted the pavement at speed, scattering pedestrians “like pinballs”, according to witnesses. |
| Five of the injured, including two teenaged girls, remain in three hospitals across Glasgow. There are three patients in Glasgow Royal Infirmary: a 14-year-old girl who is serious but stable, an 18-year-old woman and a 64-year-old woman, both of whom are in a stable condition. | Five of the injured, including two teenaged girls, remain in three hospitals across Glasgow. There are three patients in Glasgow Royal Infirmary: a 14-year-old girl who is serious but stable, an 18-year-old woman and a 64-year-old woman, both of whom are in a stable condition. |
| A 57-year-old man is being treated at the Western Infirmary and is in a stable condition. It is believed that he was the driver of the bin lorry. A 49-year-old woman, who is being treated at the Southern General hospital, is also stable. | A 57-year-old man is being treated at the Western Infirmary and is in a stable condition. It is believed that he was the driver of the bin lorry. A 49-year-old woman, who is being treated at the Southern General hospital, is also stable. |
| Police reopened the crash site late on Tuesday afternoon, and George Square’s Christmas lights will be switched on later on Wednesday. The fairground and skating rink, the main focus of Glasgow’s festivities, will remain closed until Boxing Day. | Police reopened the crash site late on Tuesday afternoon, and George Square’s Christmas lights will be switched on later on Wednesday. The fairground and skating rink, the main focus of Glasgow’s festivities, will remain closed until Boxing Day. |
| Among the lunchtime shoppers on Wednesday, those walking with greater purpose, a single bunch of flowers in their hands, are easy to spot. The bank of floral tributes outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art continues to grow as Glaswegians and others visit to pay their respects to the victims of the crash. | Among the lunchtime shoppers on Wednesday, those walking with greater purpose, a single bunch of flowers in their hands, are easy to spot. The bank of floral tributes outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art continues to grow as Glaswegians and others visit to pay their respects to the victims of the crash. |
| Six candle-lit lanterns stood at the edge of the display, one for each of those who died. The plastic wrappings of the flowers, mainly bought from local supermarkets, fluttered in the sharp winter wind. | Six candle-lit lanterns stood at the edge of the display, one for each of those who died. The plastic wrappings of the flowers, mainly bought from local supermarkets, fluttered in the sharp winter wind. |
| A wreath of roses and chrysanthemums displayed a card signed from Celtic Football Club, of which Jack Sweeney was a supporter. A solitary green and white Celtic scarf hangs on nearby railings. | A wreath of roses and chrysanthemums displayed a card signed from Celtic Football Club, of which Jack Sweeney was a supporter. A solitary green and white Celtic scarf hangs on nearby railings. |
| An arrangement of lilies and roses has been left by the staff and students of Glasgow University: Stephenie Tait was a graduate, while Erin McQuade had recently begun an English degree there. | |
| Other messages from individuals express shock and disbelief, offering thoughts and prayers for the families of those dead and injured. But one card simply begins: “Dear Glasgow”. | Other messages from individuals express shock and disbelief, offering thoughts and prayers for the families of those dead and injured. But one card simply begins: “Dear Glasgow”. |
| Christmas lights across the country were turned off as a mark of respect for the victims of the crash. | |
| About 72,000 people signed up to a Facebook event page which asked participants to switch off their decorations at 9pm and hold a two-minute silence to reflect on the tragedy. | |
| Donations continue to flood in to an appeal fund announced overnight for the victims of the crash. Glasgow city council is donating £20,000 with the Lord Provost’s fund and the Scottish government both adding a further £20,000. Donations can be made at any bank using the sort code 834400 and account number 10809775, or by calling 0141 287 7878 and paying by debit or credit card. | Donations continue to flood in to an appeal fund announced overnight for the victims of the crash. Glasgow city council is donating £20,000 with the Lord Provost’s fund and the Scottish government both adding a further £20,000. Donations can be made at any bank using the sort code 834400 and account number 10809775, or by calling 0141 287 7878 and paying by debit or credit card. |
| Police Scotland made a fresh appeal for footage of the incident as they promised a “thorough and exhaustive” investigation into the crash. | |
| Anyone with footage is asked to send it to georgesquareincident@scotland.pnn.police.uk. |