A fire officer who rescued five people from a fourth-floor ledge during a blaze at a city centre department store was laid to rest on Monday.
In 1960, a then-31-year-old George Taylor was the 'leading fireman' at Hatton Garden Fire Station in Liverpool city centre. On June 20 of that year, a fire broke out in the Henderson's department store on Church Street.
The store was full of hundreds of staff and customers as the fire tore through the building. George ascended a 100 ft. turntable ladder to rescue people stranded on an exterior ledge of the fourth floor in their effort to escape the raging flames and smoke within.
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As George ascended, one of the people fell to their death from the ledge, but his quick and decisive actions saved five remaining people who were brought down the ladder to safety. 11 people died as the result of the fire, but the number would have been higher if it were not for George's actions.
Famously, George was not given a medal for his heroic actions at the time. Instead, he was given a dressing down by the Chief Fire Officer as, in his haste to ascend the ladder and rescue those in peril, he had forgotten to put on his helmet.
In a poignant turn of events, the very same helmet rested on his coffin during his funeral service, where the current Chief Fire Officer, Phil Garrigan posthumously awarded him with a certificate for Meritorious Action for his heroics on that day.
George died in April at the age of 94. His life was celebrated at a service at Ainsdale Methodist Church.
Attending, Phil Garrigan said: “As Chief Fire Officer I would have nominated George for a bravery award for what he did that summer’s day. The rescue of five people from a fourth floor ledge whilst smoke and flames are around you was without doubt a brave act.”
He added: “George acted instinctively – saving the lives of five people that day – who knows what life would be like for those families today if it had not been for his actions.”
After the service, the funeral cortege paused at Southport Fire Station where the firefighters on duty had assembled to pay their respects, before the onward journey to Southport crematorium, where standard-bearers from the Royal British Legion and the Royal Marines association were in attendance to honour George’s National Service with the Marines.
Stephen Bousfield, Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service historian and archivist said of George: “He was a modest man who gave 30 years exemplary service to the people of Merseyside and rose to become a station officer. It was a privilege to have known George and to hear his stories about his time in the fire service.”
