7/7 10th anniversary: Former manager remembers Hornchurch victim Lee Baisden
Some of the 7/7 injured arriving at the Royal London Hospital. Picture: Jessica Smith - Credit: Archant
All 52 victims of the 7/7 bombings left behind devastated family, friends and colleagues, heartbroken at losing their loved ones in such a barbaric manner.
Lee Baisden, 34, from Hornchurch, died in the Aldgate explosion on 7/7 - Credit: Archant
The sense of loss which fell upon London that day was keenly felt by Terry Brewer and his staff, who worked with victim Lee Baisden at the London Fire Brigade.
Lee, 34, was sitting next to suicide bomber Shehzad Tanweer when he set off his explosive between Liverpool Street and Aldgate, on the Circle Line.
Terry, who worked at the time as head of procurement, was one of finance officer Lee’s managers.
The 57-year-old said: “7/7 was an extremely chaotic day, we were trying to make sure that firefighters on the front line had all the equipment and services they needed to do their job.
Some of the 7/7 injured arriving at the Royal London Hospital. Picture: Jessica Smith - Credit: Archant
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“I remember the following day somebody came in early and said Lee wasn’t in. No one knew what was going on.
“We all started asking questions and eventually realised Lee was one of the victims.”
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Lee, who lived with his partner Paul Groman, then 36, had been heading to work at the time.
He had travelled from Romford station to Liverpool Street before switching to the Circle Line to reach Embankment.
Former London Fire Brigade employee Terry Brewer, who was one of the managers of Lee Baisden, a 7/7 victim - Credit: Archant
Lee had joined the brigade in February 2004.
Terry, of Purley, London, said: “We were completely shocked. We had sent firefighters to the scene, who were all fine, but one of our staff got killed coming to work.
“It was awful. The team was in shock for a couple of weeks.
“Lee was sitting next to the bomber, which was good in the sense that he didn’t suffer his injuries.”
Some of the 7/7 injured arriving at the Royal London Hospital. Picture: Jessica Smith - Credit: Archant
On the 10th anniversary of the atrocities, Terry remembers Lee as a valued colleague and friend to his peers.
“Everyone got on really well with him. He was very pleasant to speak to and used to go out with some of the team.
“It is hard to think about as it was all very emotional.
“Lee was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
