Gone But Never Forgotten: Heroes Lost in Shirley Towers Blaze
It’s been nine years since firefighters James Shears, 35, and Alan Bannon, 38, made the ultimate sacrifice. Both Red Watch crew members from St Mary’s fire station, they tragically died on April 6, 2010, battling a fierce fire at Shirley Towers, Southampton.
Chaos at Shirley Towers
At 8:10pm that fateful evening, Hampshire Fire and Rescue got a 999 call reporting a blaze on the 9th floor of the 15-storey tower block on Church Street. Five fire engines were deployed immediately.
First crews found the fire raging in flat 72. Firefighters donned breathing apparatus and plunged into the smoke-filled flat to fight the flames.
Trapped and Lost Communication
James Shears and Alan Bannon were the second breathing apparatus team sent in. Suddenly, the fire erupted violently, and heat soared.
Communication with Shears and Bannon went dead. More teams raced inside, desperate to find their missing colleagues.
Tragically, both were found unconscious, trapped under fallen cables. They were rushed out and given CPR on the spot and at hospital, but it was too late.
Impact and Investigation
- Two other firefighters were injured with burns and hospitalised.
- In total, around 100 firefighters and 20 fire engines battled the blaze at its peak.
- Joint investigations by Hampshire Fire & Rescue and Hampshire Constabulary found the fire was likely started accidentally by curtain material igniting on a light fitting.
- New safety laws on cable fixation were introduced to stop cables falling and trapping firefighters in future.
Remembering True Bravery
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” – John 15:13
James Shears and Alan Bannon are forever honoured by their colleagues and the community. Gone but never forgotten, these heroes gave their lives protecting Southampton.
