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The UK’s oldest fire station closed today amid emotional scenes and a warning that the decision will result in the loss of life.

Firefighters on Green Watch were in tears as they walked out of the Clerkenwell station, which opened in 1872, for the last time.

The station near King’s Cross is one of 10 in London which closed today to make millions of pounds of savings.

The London brigade is also cutting 552 firefighter jobs and reducing the number of fire engines by 14 to help meet budget savings of £45 million over the next two years.

Clerkenwell closed after Green Watch attended their final call, a blaze at a Regents Park block of flats.

Resident Christopher Margrave, 32, a father of two who was rescued after being trapped with his family, said: “The fire brigade said if we had been in here another five minutes the stud walls would have burned through.

“We would have been burned alive.”

The other stations that closed today are at Belsize, Bow, Downham, Kingsland, Knightsbridge, Silvertown, Southwark, Westminster and Woolwich.

About 50 residents and firefighters gathered for the final watch at Westminster Fire Station on Horseferry Road.

Artemis Kassi, 42, a local mother who was there with her six-year-old daughter Maryam, has been campaigning to save the 107-year-old station. She said: “I am angry, appalled and, frankly, disgusted, that it has come to this. We are here to show our support, thanks and recognition to the firefighters who have served our community so well.

“Westminster Fire Station has served through two world wars, the 7/7 bombings and the recent theatre collapse. It is a very busy station nearly 100% of the time and costs just £1.5m a year to run.”

Paul Embery, regional secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, warned: “It will be only a matter of time before someone dies because a fire engine did not get to them in time.

“You cannot close 10 fire stations and slash nearly 600 firefighter jobs without compromising public safety.”

But James Cleverly, chairman of the capital’s fire authority, said: “If you dial 999 and need a fire engine, we still aim to have one with you within six minutes, and a second, if needed, within eight.

“The brigade is faced with significant budget cuts which mean that changes to the service are inevitable and we are able to make those changes without compulsory redundancies.”

Staff at the closed stations will be moved to other locations with 155 fire engines remaining at 102 fire stations across London.