Funeral tributes to firefighter

Firefighter colleagues acted as pall-bearers

Around 1,400 mourners have been paying tribute to a firefighter who died in a suspicious blaze at a former community centre in Cardiff last month.

Father-of-two Richard Jenkins, 28, was remembered during a service at Llandaff Cathedral on Monday.

Crowds lined the streets as the funeral cortege passed by.

The Welsh flag was draped over Mr Jenkins' coffin, which was carried on a fire engine.

His uniform was placed on his coffin and six of his colleagues from Barry, who were with him when he died, were pall-bearers.

Billy Carruthers from the London Fire Service, where Mr Jenkins worked for many years before recently getting a transfer to south Wales, said the firefighters were united in their grief.

"When something like this happens we know how colleagues and family feel, we feel the loss as well," he said.

The funeral was followed by a private family service.

Mr Jenkins' colleagues desribed him as "a committed and professional firefighter and a devoted family man".

Catherine Jenkins described husband Richard as her soulmate

John Archer, the divisional officer for operations in the western division of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, had been overseeing the funeral arrangements and spoke of the devastating effect on Mr Jenkins' colleagues.

"The south Wales service is a sombre place, we need to get through today and start building again," said Mr Archer.

"Everything has been done for the funeral in full consultation with the family, we have complied with the family's wishes from beginning to end."

Mr Jenkins, a member of White Watch at Barry, died early on Sunday, 23 May, during a call to Bishopston Road, Ely.

Two men have been charged with manslaughter in connection with the fire. They are both being held in custody.

Mr Jenkins, of Bryntirion, Bridgend, had worked at Barry for 18 months. He joined the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service in 2002, and had also worked in Abertillery.

A fire engine carrying Mr Jenkins' body on its way to the cathedral

He leaves a widow, Catherine - who described him as her "soul mate" - a son, Conor, aged nine, and a daughter, Charlotte, six.

He was the first to enter the blazing building, and the explosion followed shortly after. Two of his colleagues were also injured.

During the service an eulogy was read by Mr Jenkins' friend Shaun Winters on behalf of Mr Jenkins' father, John.

"Tragically, doing the job he loved claimed his life early that Sunday morning," the tribute said.

"As our son, he made us immensely proud. As our friend he was loyal. As a mischief maker he did no harm - well not much.

"As a husband, as a dad, as a sportsman, as a colleague, he touched so many people - and flattened a few on the rugby field. As a human being he achieved so much."

A tribute by another friend, Steve Quinn, described the firefighter as "quiet and unassuming, humble and brave".

Chief Fire Officer Brian Fraser described Mr Jenkins as "a professional firefighter, a superb sportsman and, so I'm told, an experienced poker player who relieved many naive firefighters of their dinner money".

And, he continued: "Whatever we say today is inevitably an inadequate expression of the grief we carry in our hearts."