EARLY May, 1962, and the Glasgow fire brigade finds itself in action two nights in a row. On Thursday the 3rd, more than 400 diners and staff had to leave three restaurants when fire destroyed the Princes Restaurant in Renfield Street. The Glasgow Herald reported that the fire began in the rotisserie and spread to adjoining premises, including the nearby Pacific Restaurant and the Copacabana Restaurant in Bath Street. All three floors of the Princes were destroyed.

The following night, it was the turn of a sausage factory: a blaze badly damaged the top two floors of a building occupied by sausage manufacturers Norie Ltd, in Armour Street, Calton.

Part of the bakery was involved in the fire, and a day’s output, including tons of sausages and thousands of pies, was destroyed. Fortunately, no-one was in the building at the time. Two passers-by had smashed a window in the factory and were able to move two of the Norie vans to safety.

Five units and three turntable ladders were used by the fire brigade, and 70 firefighters were brought in to bring the fire under control.

No nearby buildings were damaged, but firemen kept a special watch on a garage in Gallowgate, in which there happened to a large tank full of paraffin.

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