Firefighters mourn death of heroic colleague

FIREFIGHTERS yesterday returned to the scene of a horrific blaze to honour a brave colleague who died in the line of duty.

Visibly upset and with heads bowed, staff from Red Watch at McDonald Road fire station in Edinburgh stood beside the site of the fire at the city’s historic Jenners building to pay their respects to Barry Martin.

Mr Martin, 38, from Fife, was responding to a fire at the landmark building on Monday when he sustained severe injuries. He was taken to hospital in a critical condition and died on Friday at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Fire departments across the UK have sent their condolences for the loss of Mr Martin, including colleagues in Oxfordshire, who said: ‘Our thoughts are with all our colleagues in Scottish Fire and Rescue and with firefighter Barry Martin’s family and friends.’ Others went on social media to post an image of a black circle with a red line through it – a symbol used by crews to show respect for firefighters injured and killed in the line of duty.

Members of the public have been laying flowers at the Jenners building. Interim Chief Officer Ross Haggart, of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: ‘I speak for the entire service when I say we are all devastated by the loss of Barry. Our thoughts remain with his family, friends and colleagues at this deeply distressing time.’

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, called Mr Martin a ‘dedicated firefighter and well-loved member of the firefighting community’.

He said: ‘In due course, we will investigate the events that led to his death. Today, we are grieving for a colleague and friend.’ Mr Martin is the first Scottish firefighter to die in the line of duty since the death of Ewan Williamson in Edinburgh in 2009.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western MSP, called for Mr Martin to be awarded a posthumous George Cross.