His Majesty The King hosts emergency responders at Dumfries House following Union Street fire in Glasgow (1)

Firefighters were recognised by His Majesty The King at a reception at Dumfries House, the headquarters of The King’s Foundation, today following the devastating fire which took place on Union Street in Glasgow last month.

The King joined Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) crews alongside representatives from Police Scotland, British Transport Police, Network Rail and Glasgow City Council to thank them for their efforts in the response and recovery of this incident. The reception took place at Dumfries House, Ayrshire, which has been regenerated for the benefit of the local community and is now managed by His Majesty’s charity, The King’s Foundation.

Around 300 firefighters were deployed over the course of four days from Sunday, 8 March to bring the large-scale fire under control and prevent damage to some of Glasgow’s most iconic buildings, including Glasgow Central station and the Grand Central Hotel. There were no injuries to firefighters or members of the public.

His Majesty met SFRS crews involved the incident in a wide range of roles, including Glasgow-based firefighters who were first to respond, incident commanders who led the tactical operation, and Operations Control staff who managed the mobilisation of resources to the scene.

Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said: “We are extremely grateful to His Majesty for inviting SFRS staff and partner agencies to Dumfries House today in recognition of the collective response and management of this fire.

“I am immensely proud of the professionalism and commitment shown by our staff – including firefighters, command officers, Operations Control and support staff – throughout this complex and protracted incident.

“I also extend my thanks to our partner agencies whose close cooperation and shared expertise were vital in bringing this incident to a safe conclusion.

“The reception at Dumfries House provided a very special opportunity for our staff and multi-agency partners to share with His Majesty an insight into the collaborative working that underpins effective emergency response, and we are grateful to The King for his recognition and taking time to personally thank some of those involved.”