Plaque honours firefighter killed in cafe blaze

The red plaque commemorates firefighter Frank Mallinson, who died in the 1960s

A red plaque honouring a firefighter who died after a blaze at a cafe has been installed at the site where he suffered fatal injuries in 1968.

Frank Mallinson was 28 when he was called to tackle an explosion at the former Little Mermaid Cafe on Norfolk Street, now Brown's Brasserie and Bar, in Sheffield.

The father of two died from his injuries eight days later.

A memorial service was held on Thursday and Paula Peat, Mr Mallinson's daughter, said: "As a family, we feel really proud and overwhelmed by the amount of people who have come to help us celebrate and remember his bravery."

Darren Mallinson, his son, said the pair did not have many memories of their father because they had been so young when he died.

However, he said their mother, Andrea Mallinson, had talked about "how brave he was and how much she missed him".

"She never remarried because she said she never fell out of love with him," he said.

Mr Mallinson's children, Darren and Paula, attended the memorial for their father

Retired firefighter Graham Brown, a friend of Mr Mallinson's who also attended the fire at the Little Mermaid, said the plaque was a "recognition of Frank's commitment".

Recalling the events of that night, he said: "There was an almighty bang when the place blew up and the windows shattered."

"The last thing I saw of Frank was him laid out on the pavement - they were trying to resuscitate him."

Mr Brown said he had regularly driven his friend to work because Mr Mallinson did not have a car.

However, he eventually bought a broken motorbike, and invited Mr Brown to help him fix it.

"It never happened. He was taken from us before I had the chance to go and see it," he said.

Retired firefighter Graham Brown remembers the loud noise when the explosion happened at the cafe

The Red Plaque project has been run by the Fire Brigades Union since 2017 and honours firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

Alex Wilson, from the union, said: "It provides a place for the family to come to commemorate their loved one.

"Also, in a public place like this in the centre of Sheffield, it means that everybody walking past can see that plaque.

"It helps them understand more about the fire and rescue service and the sacrifice that is sometimes made on their behalf."

Mr Mallinson (third from right) was part of the Sheffield Fire Brigade's Division Street station for nine years

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