Welcome back to This Day in Scottish History. I'm your host, Colin MacDonald. Today, we reflect on a tragic event that took place on October 21, 1971—a day that is etched into the memories of many in Scotland, particularly in the small town of Clarkston, south of Glasgow. It was on this day that a devastating gas explosion tore through a row of shops at Clarkston Toll, killing 22 people and injuring more than 100 others. The event remains one of the most harrowing disasters in modern Scottish history.

The explosion occurred around 2:52 pm on what was a typically busy afternoon in the shopping district. A gas leak from a fractured main had gone unnoticed, building up pressure in the underground space beneath the shops. The day before, several shop staff and customers had reported smelling gas, and engineers from the Scottish Gas Board were dispatched to investigate. However, despite their efforts, they could not find the source of the leak. The engineers were still present when, the following day, the gas ignited, resulting in a catastrophic explosion.

The force of the blast was unimaginable. It obliterated ten shops and caused the collapse of the car park built directly above the shopping row, sending cars and debris plunging into the street below. Among the worst-hit victims were shoppers, shop workers, and passengers on a bus that had just pulled up in front of the shops when the explosion occurred. The roof of the bus was caved in by the rubble, trapping passengers inside.

One of those passengers was Fay McIntyre, who was on the top deck of the bus, traveling back home to East Kilbride after a job interview in the city. She recalls seeing two women standing under the canopy of the shops just before the explosion. One of them was dressed in a red raincoat. Moments later, a thunderous boom shook the entire area. The bus was engulfed in debris. Fay’s arm became trapped under a heavy slab of concrete. Fortunately, the bus conductor freed her, and she was able to escape, though many others were not so lucky. Tragically, the woman in the red raincoat, whom Fay had just seen, was buried under the rubble and did not survive.

The human cost of this disaster was staggering. Neil MacPherson, who was only 13 years old at the time, lost his older sister in the blast. She had gone to the shops that afternoon, leaving her young children with a neighbor due to the rain. But she never made it home. Her body was found late in the rescue efforts, buried deep in the wreckage of the shop where she had been.

The aftermath of the explosion was chaotic, but it also revealed the incredible heroism of ordinary people. Eyewitnesses spoke of frantic efforts to rescue those trapped in the rubble. Local residents, shop workers, and passersby worked side by side with emergency responders, digging through the debris with their bare hands. Mechanics from nearby garages rushed to pull survivors from the wreckage. Nurses and medical personnel clambered over the still-smoking rubble to offer help.

Among the heroes was Dr. William Gibb, a chemical engineer and expert witness in cases of explosion. He was tasked with investigating the cause of the disaster. His findings were sobering. A crack in a cast iron gas pipe, located about three feet underground, had caused the gas leak. The pipe had not been properly supported and was subject to stress from the vibrations of cars driving over it. Over time, corrosion had weakened the pipe, leading to the fatal crack. Once the gas filled the underground voids beneath the shops, it only needed a spark to ignite it, creating a chain reaction that spread through the entire row of buildings.

A Fatal Accident Inquiry was launched just weeks after the disaster. Four months later, on February 11, 1972, the jury concluded that no individual or organization was to blame. They ruled that the explosion had been caused by an accidental fracture of the gas main due to "stress and corrosion." However, for many, the findings left a bitter taste. Neil MacPherson, who lost his sister, believes that the Gas Board did not take the complaints of a gas smell seriously enough. Others, including Dr. Gibb’s son, have suggested that there was likely more fault to be found than the inquiry concluded.

The Clarkston explosion left scars on the community that have never fully healed. For years, the site was marked only by the rebuilt shops and a small plaque that was erected 30 years after the disaster. For many, this memorial seemed inadequate to honor the scale of the tragedy. On the 50th anniversary in 2021, a minute’s silence was held to remember those who lost their lives.

It’s important to recognize that this disaster was, and still is, a profound event in Scotland’s history. For the families who lost loved ones, it remains an indelible memory. For the Clarkston community, it is a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how one tragic incident can change a place forever.

Thank you for joining us on This Day in Scottish History. Today, we honor the memory of those lost in the Clarkston explosion and reflect on the lessons learned from that tragic day. I’m Colin MacDonald. Haste ye back for our next episode, as we continue to explore the rich and sometimes sorrowful history of Scotland.

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