Three firefighters were arrested yesterday concerning the 2007 blaze at a vegetable packing warehouse in which four of their colleagues died.

The men – a 43-year-old from Nuneaton, a 49-year-old from Leamington and a 48-year-old from the Warwick area – presented themselves at a Warwickshire police station this morning. The Fire Brigade Union confirmed that the men were serving fire service staff and that the union was acting for them.

In a statement issued four weeks ago – when rumours surfaced that there might be arrests – the union said the men had been involved in the incident command process.

At the time Matt Wrack, the FBU's general secretary, said: "It is important for the families and colleagues of those who died to establish what happened. It is important that all fire services learn all the lessons from this incident and we support that aim.

"We are concerned at the move to arrest these individuals at this stage when all other key players have not even been interviewed. We understand that, even two years after the deaths, all very top corporate managers – who may have critical information – have still not even been interviewed.

"Evidence from our own ongoing investigation suggests there may be systemic failings. Any systemic failings within Warwickshire fire service, if they are established, would be the responsibility of the fire authority."

The fire started on 2 November 2007 in a warehouse in Atherstone on Stour, near Stratford-upon-Avon. It was described at the time by the Fire Brigades Union as the "worst night for the fire service in decades".

Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, and Darren Yates-Badley, 24, were found dead in the remains of the building after days of searching. Their colleague Ian Reid, 44, died in hospital after being caught in the building when the roof collapsed.

It was the biggest loss of life for British firefighters since seven were killed in a fire in Glasgow in 1972.

The fire raged for more than five hours and at its peak flames reached hundreds of feet high. Sixteen fire engines and 80 firefighters were called to the scene.

Last May, four Poles who had worked at the warehouse were arrested and questioned by Warwickshire police concerning the incident.

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