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Mon, 31 Jul 2023
Today (July 31) the Chief Minister, Alfred Cannan held a presentation to formally recognise the efforts of the Manx Emergency and Health Services in their response to the Summerland fire.
Fifty people including eleven under the age of twenty, lost their lives during the fire that happened 50 years ago on August 2, with a further 100 suffering serious injuries.
The Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service mobilised 93 of its 106 firefighters to Summerland, as well as all 16 of its fire engines to help fight the blaze and assist the evacuation effort.
The Chief Minister thanked the services for it's actions that night in 1973 and said:
“Your people ran towards the incident - tackling the blaze, helping many to escape, and supporting and comforting those caught up in the horror. In the days and weeks that followed, they cared for the injured and bereaved, and helped deal with the aftermath.
“The service committed every resource it had, on one of the busiest weeks of the year. Appliances were sent from all corners of the Island. Firemen recall trying to get into the burning building as others were running out – the pleas of desperate people outside to find their loves ones trapped inside, ringing in their ears.
“It is a scenario which typifies the ultimately selfless nature of the fire-fighter’s role: risking their own life to save that of another.”
He also thanked the Isle of Man Constabulary police officers island wide that responded to the call and “worked around the clock in the immediate aftermath of the fire” and those that dealt with “a myriad of tasks and issues” that followed, including those that were off duty at the time.
“As the scale of the tragedy unfolded, it was reported that Douglas Police Station received approximately 28,000 phone calls from families, both on and off-Island, trying to contact their loved-ones or receive assurance they were safe.”
The Health Care Service played a significant role that evening, the Chief Minister added: “Noble’s Hospital mobilised all necessary staff and equipment. Offers of help from nursing and medical staff as well as volunteers came in swiftly, so that a nurse could be allocated to each patient.”
National Day of Remembrance
Today’s event follows on from yesterdays (July 30) National Day of Remembrance to mark the 50th anniversary since the tragedy.
The Chief Minister addressed the congregation in what will start a week of events commemorating the fire which destroyed the building on 2nd August 1973.
It was be led by the Venerable Irene Cowell, Archdeacon of Man. His Excellency the Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer and Lady Lorimer, the Chief Minister and the Mayor of Douglas were all in attendance.
LISTEN: Alfred Cannan MHK (Chief Minister) - Speech to Emergency Services at Summerland presentation
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