Steak and Cherry

Big city centre fires are quite unusual these days due to improved fire detection; last night's fire in Sauchiehall Street looks to have been quite serious and could have been much worse. The crews who attended made some rescues in what must have been quite challenging circumstances, and they  rescued a family from the top floor of the building. 

If you live in a flat, you're dependent on the fire safety of those around you - an even greater risk if you live above a restaurant or shops. I consider it a responsibility to have a smoke detector - and Strathclyde Fire and Rescue will come and fit one for free if you ask. Do it today. 

On a less serious note - I was only in the Steak and Cherry once, at the end of a very random night out, but I'm still sorry to see it go.

Shortly after 11pm on Tues 8th Feb 2011, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue's Operations 

support centre in Johnstone received reports of fire at the premises of The Steak & 

Cherry Restaurant in Sauchiehall street, Glasgow.Initial appliances from Cowcaddens, 

Springburn and Yorkhill community fire stations were quickly mobilised and in 

attendance.

The blaze which is thought to have started in the kitchen area of the premises,  

quickly spread to the upper floors and roofspace of the tenement style property. Due 

to the construction of these property types,hidden fire spread via enclosed voids and 

spaces, are notoriously difficult and dangerous for crew to tackle.
 
On arrival the crews were faced with a rapidly developing fire involving the 

restaurant itself and spreading to occupied residential tenement flats above. These 

intial crews had to deal simultaneously with the original fire, it's spread to the 

upper floors and more immediately,a family trapped by smoke in their top floor flat. 

In total two males, two females and a child were rescued by firefighter's using fire 

service ladders, which had been manhandled into position to an elevated area to the 

rear of the property.

Commenting on this aspect of the incident in particular, Area commander Garry Milne 

commended the crews saying " the rescue of this family from the upper floors, was a 

textbook ladder rescue".

The family was subsequently transported to the Royal Infirmary for a precautionary 

check-up. 

While this rescue was underway,firefighters assisted by their Police colleagues 

systematically searched and cleared adjacent flats.
 
Additional fire engines and crews were quickly ordered on to the incident, with at it's 

height, 11 engines, including two with a high reach capability responding and around 70 

Firefighters in attendance.
 
Premises and flats on either side of the affected part of the building were evacuated as a 

precautionary measure and in conjunction with Strathclyde Police and Local authority 

partners, overnight accomodation was arranged  for householders who required it.
 
The blaze was brought under control by a combination of high volume water jets being 

directed down from a high reach fire appliance and the sustained and determined efforts 

of Firefighter's entering with hand held hose lines.
 
Control of the incident was assisted greatly by Strathclyde Police organising traffic control,

cordons and an initial rest centre for residents evacuated.
 
A joint investigation into the cause of the blaze will be carried out by Strathclyde Fire and 

Rescue and Strathclyde Police. It is expected that crews will be in attendance for some 

considerable time and local traffic diversions have been put in place.
 
There is no further information available at this time.