Worsley Hotel Fire 50th Anniversary

In the early hours of Friday 13th December 1974, the early hours’ stillness at Paddington fire station erupted into noise.

Bells called Firemen to action, light flooded previously darkened corridors which now echoed to the urgent steps of firemen going to a shout. Firemen slid down poles from the warm beds of their dormitories on the upper floor to the appliance bays were the fire engines waited for them, cold and silent. Seconds later drivers started the engines, pumping cold exhaust fumes into the air as others opened the doors and then waited moments for details to come from the watch room’s printer of where they were needed.

Fire, Worsley Hotel, Clifton Gardens, persons reported.

The sense of urgency reached a peak as the appliances roared off into the night taking the firemen to Clifton Gardens. A night when the ever present lurking danger that fireman face showed itself, claiming the life of one and injuring three others as they worked to rescue dozens of hotel residents.

Six hotel residents died in the inferno. The fire was found to of been caused by arson and a hotel employee subsequently convicted. The story of the fire would eventually be described in forensic, but very readable, detail in the book “Red Watch” by Gordon Honeycombe.

Fire Appliances Arrive

For the fiftieth anniversary, four preserved fire appliances attended representing those that turned out from Paddington fire station on that cold December morning.

• HB7321 1953 Maudslay Regent III with Park Royal bodywork (served in Myther Tydfil, rebadged as based at Paddington for the anniversary)
• SMH325F 1967 Dennis F106 Pump
• CBY1 1963 AEC Mercury Merryweather Turntable Ladder
• OXT779 1954 Maudslay Merryweather Emergency Tender

The two pictures show them arriving in the morning gloom along the A404 which runs alongside the A40 Westway.

Paddington Fire Station

In A21 Paddington fire station, the appliances were lined up matching old and new. The ET (Emergency Tender) parked behind the modern equivalent FRU (Fire Rescue Unit).

Seen from the third floor of the fire station’s drill tower, they greatly contrasted but the lineage between old and current appliances could be seen.

Then came the time for the appliances to drive from Paddington fire station to the site of the Worsley Hotel fire in nearby Clifton Gardens.

Warwick Avenue

The preserved fire appliances led the way with the modern appliances following at the rear. The route taken was the same as on 13th December 1974. Exit Paddington fire station on to Harrow Road, left into Warwick Avenue, right into Clifton Gardens – a three minute drive.

Clifton Gardens, Near Warwick Avenue

Old and new fire engines parked in Clifton Gardens outside the building which had previously been the Worsley Hotel and is now flats.

Memorial Service

The memorial service brought together a number of firemen who were there on the tragic night in 1974, the youngest being 68 years old.

Serving firefighters and those with fire brigade connections listened to the Brigade Chaplain and Matt Wrack of the Fire Brigade’s Union.

All were gathered to remember that night, but in particular Hamish Pettit who rode one of those fire engines roaring through the night and would lose his life that night working to save people from the grip of the fire. And so it was that Hamish was remembered by Paddington’s Station Officer from that night in 1974 and his own family.

The Fire Brigade Union Red Plaque fixed to the wall of the former Worsley Hotel, reminds all who pass and take a moment to read, of Hamish’s dedication to others which cost him his life.

Lambeth Memorial Hall

Hamish Pettit’s name is recorded on the London Fire Brigade Memorial at Lambeth fire station.