EAST Renfrewshire will mark the 50th anniversary of the Clarkston Gas Explosion tomorrow.
A total of 22 people died and more than 100 were injured from Scotland’s worst peace-time explosion on October 21, 1971.
A special service will take place at the memorial tree in Clarkston Halls car park for the families of victims and survivors.
A minute’s silence will also be held across East Renfrewshire at 2.50pm, the time the explosion happened.
MP Kirsten Oswald will return to the constituency from Westminster to participate in the events.
Before the Westminster recess, Oswald laid an Early Day Motion before the Parliament. It has been signed by 45 MPs and remains open for further signatures.
Oswald said: “Fifty years on, it is difficult to imagine the impact on the quiet community of Clarkston and surrounding area of the dreadful events of October 21, 1971, but that day lives on in the memories and the consequences for the survivors and the families of those who lost their lives.
“The failure of the inquiry to find anyone accountable for the re-opening of the shops when there was no explanation for the smell of gas in the area must have been very hard to take by those affected by such a catastrophic explosion in a suburban street on a weekday afternoon.
“I pay tribute to the many people in the community who have worked hard to keep their memory alive and to bring people together, 50 years on, to reflect on the events of that dreadful day.
“We must also recognise the work done by the emergency services on that day, with firefighters and police officers, aided by volunteers, working to recover people from the debris, while doctors, nurses and a fleet of 22 ambulances battled to save as many as they could.”
More information about events can be found at www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/article/4417/Clarkston-Disaster-50-years-on
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