Service remembers blast victims

The service aimed to provide "spiritual closure"

A service has been held to remember the nine people killed in the Maryhill factory explosion and pay tribute to those involved in the rescue operation.

The 200-strong congregation at Cathcart Old Parish Church included firefighters and others from the emergency services.

Lieutenant John Atwell of New York Fire Department attended to pay his respects to the families of the victims of the Stockline Plastics blast.

He also hailed the efforts of all those who helped out in the aftermath.

Strathclyde Firemaster Brian Sweeney also attended the service, which was organised by the Glasgow the Caring City charity to provide "spiritual closure" for all those involved in the emergency operation.

We wanted to offer our heartfelt sympathy for the families and our admiration for the rescue services and the volunteers Serena Joyce NYFD

He said: "In microcosm there is a similarity with events in New York, obviously on a smaller scale, but I think that made it a particularly poignant service in that sense."

Mr Atwell lost 40 members of his division when the Twin Towers collapsed on 11 September, 2001.

"I am glad we are here to show our respect and sympathy for the families who lost loved ones but also we commend the men of the fire brigade, ambulance units and ordinary civilians who helped out," he said.

He said the numbers lost in New York had been greater, but said that the loss of just one person could cause tremendous pain.

"Even though it was smaller, a loss is a loss. Grief has no boundaries," he said.

Services such as this are all part of the healing process, not just for the families of people who have lost their lives but also for rescue workers Firemaster Brian Sweeney

Mr Atwell and the assistant commissioner for families at NYFD, Serena Joyce, were visiting Glasgow to organise a trip for children who were orphaned on 11 September.

Mrs Joyce said: "We heard about Maryhill in New York and we were very sad - I think just the news of an explosion, a collapse, the fact people were working extraordinarily hard on the rescue operation.

"On behalf of NYFD, we wanted to offer our heartfelt sympathy for the families and our admiration for the rescue services and the volunteers."

There was also a presentation of flags from the NYFD.

Mr Sweeney said that emergency workers and the community as a whole needed time to recover from the Maryhill explosion on 11 May.

"Services such as this are all part of the healing process, not just for the families of people who have lost their lives but also for rescue workers," he said.

Digging holes

The thanksgiving was led by a Strathclyde Fire Brigade chaplain, the Reverend Neil Galbraith.

He said that after the explosion "everyone who was there was there to help".

"Some were digging holes and some were bringing sandwiches and sausage rolls.

About 200 people attended the service

"Some were making sure the ambulance was there, some were bringing Mars bars.

"Everyone was important and if you asked anyone why they did it they would say to make sure everyone was given the chance to live."

Rev Galbraith thanked a number of organisations, including the Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross.

He also singled out staff at Asda in Maryhill, who gave emergency workers about £3,000 worth of food and clothing from the store.

Shop worker Eileen O'Brien said: "Everyone wanted to do something when the disaster happened.

"It was an honour for us to go down there and give support."