Widow of Jenners blaze firefighter Barry Martin in emotional plea to help speed up death inquiry
The widow of a firefighter who died after being injured in the Jenners blaze has called upon the Lord Advocate to speed up inquiries - more than three years on from the incident that claimed her husband’s life.
Barry Martin, 38, died on January 27, 2023, four days after suffering critical injuries while tackling a fire at the former department store in Edinburgh.
On Thursday, the Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain KC met with his widow, Shelley Martin, in Glasgow and acknowledged the family’s “frustrations” as inquiries remain ongoing.
Mrs Martin, 39, last month branded the delay in reaching answers “unacceptable and abhorrent”, adding that her husband’s death had left a lasting impact on her and their two sons.
“Barry’s death has had a devastating impact on me and our two boys,” she said in a statement.
“Barry was a devoted family man, who was proud of the job he did. It is unacceptable and abhorrent that we still don’t have answers over three years later.
“I am angry at the way the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have sought to bury and cover this up… that’s why I won’t go away.”
Mr Martin, a newly-qualified firefighter based at McDonald Road Fire Station, had been part of a breathing apparatus team sent into the Jenners building on January 23, 2023.
Within minutes of entering the property, he fell down a staircase after his breathing apparatus was damaged, leading to a catastrophic loss of air.
An emergency was declared shortly after, but he was not brought out of the building until more than half an hour later. He later died in hospital from severe burns and hypoxic injuries.
His family’s lawyer, Aamer Anwar, said Mrs Martin believes her husband should never have been deployed into the building, which was understood to be empty at the time.
He said concerns remain over whether Mr Martin was “unprepared and underequipped”, and whether any organisations could face criminal responsibility.
The Lord Advocate said the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) expects soon to receive a report from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) which must be considered before any decisions on issues such as potential criminality can be made.
The Lord Advocate said: “I recognise the deep loss and enduring pain caused to Shelley and her family, and the frustrations felt as the investigations continue.”
She added: “COPFS is committed to regular updates on progress made and will meet again soon with Shelley.”
Speaking after the meeting with the Lord Advocate on Thursday, Mr Anwar said delays in the process had “compounded the grief” of Mr Martin’s family, adding that they continue to seek accountability.
He added: “To understand cause and effect, the SFRS report must be delivered so that the Crown can decide whether criminal prosecutions will follow.
“The chief fire officer has been written to by the Lord Advocate’s office, and they have been advised the report will be available in mid-April.”
SFRS deputy chief officer Andrew Watt said: “Our thoughts remain firmly with firefighter Martin’s family and all of those affected by the tragic incident which took place at the former Jenners building in 2023.
“The Jenners fire remains subject to an ongoing and active investigation which is being led by Police Scotland and overseen by the COPFS.
“We continue to co-operate fully with all external investigators and have maintained clear communication regarding investigation timescales and any requests for information.”
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