Plaque honours firefighter Wilfred McLaughlan killed in Denton blaze

Wilfred McLaughlan died while tackling a factory blaze in Denton in 1972

A plaque has been unveiled honouring a firefighter who died after tackling a factory blaze almost 50 years ago.

Wilfred McLaughlan was fatally injured when a roof collapsed at the former Oldham Batteries building in Denton in Greater Manchester in 1972.

Retired firefighter Graham Bowker rallied to get a red plaque made for Mr McLaughlan at the site, which now functions as the Wellness Centre.

He said: "Mr McLaughlan and his sacrifice will never be forgotten".

Deputy mayor of Tameside, Mike Glover, and other council leaders unveiled the plaque at a ceremony on Friday.

Mr McLaughlan was three days away from retirement when he died aged 55, six weeks after the fire on 25 April.

He had no traceable family, the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) said.

Mr Bowker said he learned of the firefighter's story as a younger man and it had "always stayed with him".

The Red Plaque scheme was set up in 2018 and encourages people to establish memorials to firefighters who have died in the line of duty

Deputy mayor of Tameside, Mike Glover, and other council leaders unveiled the plaque at a ceremony

He said: "As firefighters, we are always mindful of the debt we owe to our fellow firefighters who came before us.

"We owe it to him to ensure that he was not forgotten."

The Red Plaque scheme was set up in 2018 and encourages people to establish memorials to firefighters who have died in the line of duty.

A spokesman for the FBU said it was "honoured to play a part".

"Mr McLaughlan and many other firefighters have made sacrifices which we must remember," he added.

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