Gloster Saro fire
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• Workers on holiday from Gloster Saro, a subsidiary of Hawker Siddeley Ltd., Hucclecote, rushed back to the factory on Thursday night last week when fire threatened £500,000 worth of orders in the main construction works.
The workers manhandled between 50 and 60 new tankers nearing completion away from the production shed at the Gloucester Trading Estate as the £250,000 blaze began to blow sparks on to the roof of the Saro premises.
But they had to leave a prototype 18,000gal refuelling bowser intended for jumbo jets. However, the prompt action of the 75 firemen who fought the blaze, kept the building safe—and with it the tanker.
Mr. Andrew Martin, director and general manager of Gloster Saro, was on his way home from a business trip when he saw the pall of smoke rising 1,000ft into the air from some four miles away.
He said afterwards: "The production will not be affected because the fire was contained and did not reach our main production area."