Just after dawn on the morning of Friday 6th June 1969, a massive rescue operation began at a hotel in Leinster Gardens, London W2. A call had been received at 04.54 am by exchange telephone to brigade control to a fire at the Leinster Towers Hotel. A21-Paddington pump ladder, pump and turntable ladder were dispatched along with A28-Kensington pump. When the first appliance arrived smoke was seen to be issuing from a window on the second floor, along with four people seen calling for help from this window and windows either side. In response, a wheeled escape ladder was pushed, first onto the pavement, then onto the hotel forecourt, then pitched to the window where the smoke was seen, then re-pitched to the other windows. All four were rescued.
Immediately following the rescues, the enormity of the task in hand became apparent as most of the windows on the 100 ft. high front of the hotel became alive with people calling for help as the upper floors of the hotel quickly became heavily smoke logged. At 04.54 a message requesting "make pumps 6, persons reported" was sent. This was followed at 05.03 with "Make Pumps 10". Despite the severe handicap of parked cars along the street in front of the hotel, a second escape was pitched, and a turntable ladder got to work in addition to the use of first floor ladders along with hook ladders. The escape ladders and turntable ladders were repositioned several times as the rescues were effected. On inspecting the rear of the hotel, more persons were found trapped and calling for help from the windows. At 05.06 D.O. Nichols had arrived along with D.O. Colenut, who sent an informative message at 05.11 which read "From D.O. Colenut at Leinster Gardens, numerous numbers of persons involved, 2 escapes, hook ladders and TL in use". A further message, this time from D.O. Nichols was sent at 05.12 the message was "Make Pumps 20, Turntable ladders 4".
Those calling for help at the rear of the hotel had to be dissuaded from jumping as some had already done. Many of those who had jumped were lying injured on a flat roof or in the basement area. Others had made good their escape by knotting sheets together, but had fallen as these sheets only came part way down the building. The rescues at the rear of the building were hampered due to properties abutting onto a wall that enclosed an open section of the underground railway line. Crews with hook ladders, extension ladders, first floor ladders and rescue lines had to negotiate this wall before they could reach a position to get to work. These crews managed to rescue 4 people by assisting them down hook ladders, and another person was rescued by lowering line.
Back at the front of the hotel, rescues were being made at a frantic pace. 4 wheeled escapes, two turntable ladders, 5 hook ladders and 2 extension ladders were at work.
The "Make Pumps 30" message was sent by D.O. Nichols at 05.17 with the request that all additional pumps carry BA. A further informative message at 05.20 read "Hotel of 6 floors 200 ft. x 100 ft. One quarter of all floors alight, numerous rescues still being carried out". While the rescues were carried out other crews in breathing apparatus were fighting the fire alongside others outside. 12 jets were used.
A message was sent at 05.32 requesting 100 proto cylinders and 10 compressed air cylinders.
At 06.06 Chief Fire Officer Leete sent an informative message "From C.F.O. Leete at Leinster Gardens. The fire is confined to 4th and 5th floors, and good progress is being made, between 40 and 50 persons have been rescued by TL, escape ladders, extension and hook ladders along with lowering lines. 14 persons have been removed to hospital, extent of injuries unknown."
During the firefighting several of the firefighters were also removed to hospital suffering from the effects of heat exhaustion. D.C.O Mummery sent the "Stop Message" at 07.24 it read "Stop for Leinster Towers Hotel, hotel of 6 floors and basement, 100 ft. x 70 ft. One quarter of all floors damaged by fire, 12 jets, breathing apparatus, all persons accounted for."
80 of the bedrooms of the hotel had been occupied by some 120 persons. 50 of these had been rescued by various ladders. 14 people had jumped from the upper floors, falling to a flat roof or basement and although removed to hospital for check ups, none suffered any serious injuries.
Following this incident "A Division Staff" sent the following circular to all stations and the press:
At a fire which occurred at Leinster Towers Hotel, Leinster Gardens, W2 at 04.54 hrs today, approximately 50 persons were rescued from upper floors of the building by turntable ladders, wheeled escapes, extension ladders, first floor and hook ladders and lines. 16 persons suffered from the effects of smoke or other injuries and were removed to either St. Mary's Hospital in Praed Street or St. Mary's Hospital in Harrow Road. Only 2 were detained, the remainder being discharged following treatment.
Discuss the Leinster Towers Hotel fire in our