Body found in search for missing firemen

Nov 6 2007 By Gary Marks, Birmingham Mail

THE body of one of three missing firefighters was located in a burned-out warehouse today.

Chief Superintendent Ken Lawrence, of Warwickshire Police, said one body was found early this morning.

However the search for the remaining bodies has been suspended because of fears over structural damage to the the warehouse may cause a further collapse.

Darren Yates-Badley, 24, Ashley Stephens, 20, and John Averis, 27, were unaccounted for following the blaze four days ago.

One firefighter, Ian Reid, 44, was pulled out of the blaze but died later in hospital.

Two hundred people were involved in the ongoing search of the vegetable packing warehouse in Atherstone on Stour, near Stratford, including firefighters from Hereford and Worcester Fire Service.

Coordinators have indicated that the search could take some time and called the operation "immensely frustrating".

So far, crews have only managed to venture 20m into the tangled wreckage that remains of the warehouse but teams remained determined to locate their former comrades.