Fife street to be named in honour of firefighter who died in Jenners blaze

A Fife firefighter who died after the Jenners blaze in Edinburgh is to have a street named after him in his home town.

Barry Martin, from Rosyth, died from injuries sustained in the former department store in January last year..

A year later he was honoured with a plaque in his memory at Edinburgh’s McDonald Road Fire Station, where he was based.

But now the married father-of-two is to receive a second honour closer to home.

The name Barry Martin Crescent has been mooted for a new housing development off Primrose Lane in Rosyth.

Suggested by the town’s community council, the idea is backed by Mr Martin’s family.

And councillor Brian Goodall agrees it is a fitting tribute for the hero firefighter.

Barry Martin’s family consulted on street name honour

“It brings it home to you when someone local dies in the line of duty like that,” Mr Goodall said.

“We wanted to recognise him locally alongside the national recognition he justly had.

“I had been thinking about what we could do. And when the community council made this suggestion, I was delighted to support it.”

The SNP councillor added that the support of Barry Martin’s family was key.

“For all we want to honour him, the last thing we wanted to do was cause further upset for his family,” he said.

“The community council was in touch with his wife and other family members and they were in agreement.

“It’s a positive gesture and something his family will be able to look back on in generations to come and realise he died a hero.”

New street name is exception to Fife Council rule

Barry Martin was just 37 when he died, leaving wife Shelley and young sons Oliver and Daniel.

Members of the public lined Edinburgh’s Royal Mile when his funeral cortege made its way to St Giles Cathedral.

Normal Fife Council policy is to only name streets after people who died more than five years ago.

However, exceptions can be made in some circumstances.

Councillors are expected to rubber stamp the decision next week.

Barry Martin Crescent is one of four new streets to be named in the Rosyth development.

Others honour two historic farm families, while the fourth will be called Baker Crescent as it is on land previously occupied by Stephen’s Bakery.