Fire stations across Warwickshire will lower their flags to half-mast and crews will take a minute's silence this evening to remember four Warwickshire firefighters who died tackling a fire in Atherstone-on-Stour in November 2007.

John Averis, 27, from Tredington; Darren Yates Badley, 24, and Ashley Stephens, 20, both from Alcester, and Ian Reid, 44, from Stratford, all died while fighting the Atherstone Industrial Estate fire.

The fire began on November 2 2007 at 6pm, with over 100 firefighters and five ambulance crews called to the scene.

The identities of the four men were not announced until November 16 after an extensive search through the remains.

The investigation into the fire, which continued until 2012, was described as "the largest and most complex investigation ever undertaken by Warwickshire Police" by Dept Supt Ken Lawrence.

Warwickshire County Council was fined £30,000 in January 2012 after admitting it failed to ensure the health and safety of its employees.

Three senior Warwickshire firefighters were also found not guilty of manslaughter by negligence after a six-week trial.

A statement on the Kenilworth Fire Station Facebook page said: "Today marks the 15th anniversary of the incident at Atherstone-on-Stour where four of our firefighters lost their lives.

"Our flags will be lowered to half-mast, and we will be pausing at 7.28pm to remember our four fallen colleagues, Ashley, Darren, Ian and John.

"We will never forget them, and the service will continue to recognise their ultimate sacrifice in keeping Warwickshire communities safer."

A chronological account of the fire can be found here on the BBC news website.