A former bishop who helped in the aftermath of a bin lorry crash which claimed six lives has said he will be praying for the victims on the 10th anniversary of the tragedy. The incident on December 22, 2014 saw a 26-tonne Glasgow City Council refuse truck veer out of control and crash into shoppers in the city centre.
It travelled along the pavement in Queen Street before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel in George Square. The lorry was driven by Harry Clarke, now aged 67, who has since said he thinks about the incident every day. Witnesses saw Mr Clarke, who had failed to disclose a previous blackout to his employers and the DVLA, slumped behind the wheel.
Those who died in the incident were Erin McQuade, 18, a student at the University of Glasgow, and her grandparents Jack Sweeney, 68, and Lorraine Sweeney, 69, from Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire; primary school teacher Stephenie Tait, 29, and tax worker Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow; and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh. Fifteen people were injured.
The city’s Royal Exchange Square was piled high with floral tributes following the crash, and a candle-lit vigil was held in George Square. Right Rev Dr Gregor Duncan, the Scottish Episcopal Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, was at the scene in the aftermath of the crash.
He told a memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral in 2015: “God is to be found in those who ran to help, in the emergency services… in every tear shed.”. Mr Duncan, who retired in 2018, said he will be praying for the victims on the 10th anniversary on Sunday, and he added he has also prayed for Mr Clarke.
