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The James Watt Street Fire on Monday 18th November 1968, was a fatal factory fire in Glasgow, Scotland. It was notable for the huge loss of life, with 22 employees killed, trapped in a building behind barred, windows, a hangover from it's previous use as a whisky bond. Around 100 firemen from Glasgow Fire Service attended this incident, which reinforced Glasgow's reputation for tragic fires in the 30 years after the Second World War. Many of these fires resulted from poor building standards, many premises being modified from their original purpose. Glasgow did not suffer from wartime bombing to the extent of other British cities, and consequently, many industrial premises were still of 19th Century origin and located in very cramped and narrow streets.

The A, J and S Stern Furniture Factory
The factory premises was located in James Watt Street, a street between Argyle Street and the Broomielaw on the North side of the River Clyde. It had previously been used as whisky bond, in common with much of Glasgow's industrial premises at that time, had seen numerous uses over the years. The building consisted of a ground, first and second floors with basement. The previous use of the building resulted in high security measures, with barred windows meaning that escape in the event of a fire, escape could be compromised. In the following enquiry, it was discovered that the doors to the fire escape were locked from the inside.

The Fire
The alarm was raised at around 10:30, with the first crews arriving within five minutes. A serious fire was seen to be in progress, and a "Make Pumps 10" message was sent to control almost immediately (additional appliances required, which in addition to those already there would total 10). As part of this request for reinforcements, a "Persons Reported" message was sent, indicating persons were believed to be requiring urgent assistance and rescue. Nearly 100 firemen attended to fight the fire, with water poured onto the building from turntable ladders. It was found that efforts at rescue were futile due to the intense heat, and the difficulties in entering the building. Escape from the building had been prevented due to fire on the stairs, caused by polyurethane foam, and the escape doors from the first and second floors to the fire escape were found to have been locked from the inside. No persons were seen at the windows, and any hopes of rescue for those inside ended when the roof of the building collapsed. Many attempts were made to enter the building where the employees were believed to be, but intense heat drove back the firemen. The Glasgow Fire Service personnel eventually gained access to the building, by cutting through the steel doors using oxy-propane cutting gear. The dead were found inside the factory to have died due to the inhalation of smoke, the burning of polyurethane foam resulting in poisonous fumes, fatal when inhaled.