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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Warehouse fire victims remembered | Warehouse fire victims remembered |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Hundreds of firefighters have attended a memorial service to remember four of their colleagues killed in a warehouse blaze in Warwickshire. | |
| Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, and Ian Reid, 44, died as the result of the fire in Atherstone-on-Stour on 2 November. | Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, and Ian Reid, 44, died as the result of the fire in Atherstone-on-Stour on 2 November. |
| Mr Stephen's father, Paul, also a fireman, told the congregation he had "lost three good friends and a son". | |
| About 1,400 people attended the service at Coventry Cathedral. | |
| The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued Warwickshire fire service with an improvement notice after the blaze. | |
| The service was conducted by the cathedral's Canon Adrian Daffern and Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service's chaplain Canon David Capron. | |
| 'Never forgotten' | |
| It began with a procession bearing the standards of every fire and rescue service in the UK. | |
| As the flag-bearers and clergy walked through the packed cathedral, the congregation sang Onward Christian Soldiers, a hymn chosen by the family of Ashley Stephens. | As the flag-bearers and clergy walked through the packed cathedral, the congregation sang Onward Christian Soldiers, a hymn chosen by the family of Ashley Stephens. |
| Hymns for the service were also chosen by the other bereaved families. | Hymns for the service were also chosen by the other bereaved families. |
| The four were trying to tackle a fire at a vegetable-packing plant | The four were trying to tackle a fire at a vegetable-packing plant |
| Paul Stephens, watch manager with the Warwickshire fire service, also attended the warehouse fire. He told the congregation how on that night "my worst nightmare started to unfold". | |
| "Only a short time before I had seen them enter the building," he said. | |
| "My last words to them: 'Be careful'." | |
| He added: "Four heroes paid the ultimate sacrifice doing what they loved best - fire-fighting. "You live on in our hearts forever and you will never be forgotten. God bless you." | |
| The firefighters died as they attempted to tackle the fire at a vegetable-packing plant. | The firefighters died as they attempted to tackle the fire at a vegetable-packing plant. |
| Mr Reid died in hospital after his body was dragged from the burning warehouse. | Mr Reid died in hospital after his body was dragged from the burning warehouse. |
| The bodies of the other men were given a guard of honour when they were taken out of the wreckage following an extensive search. | The bodies of the other men were given a guard of honour when they were taken out of the wreckage following an extensive search. |
| Last week it was revealed that an investigation has found officers were not given enough information before attending the scene. | Last week it was revealed that an investigation has found officers were not given enough information before attending the scene. |
| Warwickshire county fire officer, William Brown earlier described the remembrance service as "our final goodbye". | |
| He said: "It will allow us to collectively celebrate the lives of John, Ian, Ashley and Darren, all of whom were all very brave men dedicated to a job they loved." | He said: "It will allow us to collectively celebrate the lives of John, Ian, Ashley and Darren, all of whom were all very brave men dedicated to a job they loved." |