Prince to meet blast families

Nine people died in the factory explosion

Prince Charles is to offer his sympathies to the relatives of the nine people who died in an explosion at a Glasgow plastics factory.

He will meet the families of the five men and four women who died more than two weeks ago in the blast at ICL Plastics in Maryhill.

He will also pay tribute to the "professionalism and bravery" of the emergency services.

Wednesday's meeting is one of a series of engagements for the prince.

Rescue operation

He will also visit Glasgow's Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama and host a garden party for NHS workers at Edinburgh's Holyroodhouse.

A spokesman for the prince said he had been "saddened and very distressed" by the incident at the factory on Grovepark Street, off Maryhill Road.

"This is not only a small way of acknowledging the work of the rescue services, but also offer some comfort to families bereaved by the incident," he said.

The prince will meet relatives of those who died in the tragedy in private.

Prince Charles will meet relatives and emergency services

The spokesman was unable to say whether all nine victims would be represented.

Before that, he will pay tribute to at least 20 people involved in the rescue operation.

The spokesman said: "The purpose is first of all to recognise the work they did, not just on the day of the explosion, but in the days afterwards, and to thank them and acknowledge the fact that these very sad incidents are dangerous for everybody involved.

"He also wants to recognise the professionalism and bravery and support that people showed in their immediate reactions to this."

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said investigations were still continuing into the cause of the tragedy.