Memorial garden opened for firefighter who tragically drowned

A memorial garden has been opened to remember a firefighter who drowned in a tragic accident a year ago.

Watch Manager Dan Lee was out with friends in Manchester city centre on August 22, 2023, when he vanished on his way home. His body was found in the River Irwell by a passer-by three days later.

An inquest into his death found that Dan, 41, suffered 'unsurvivable injuries' with a post-mortem concluding his cause of death was 'multiple injuries and drowning' after he was seen on CCTV falling over some railings into the water 'from a height' attempting to grab a tree or some shrubs as he fell. It was ruled his death was accidental.

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Today (August 19, 2023), Dan’s family and colleagues opened a memorial garden at the Agecroft fire station, in his home city of Salford. It will be open to the public so people can reflect on his life.

“Today, we opened the Dan Lee Memorial Garden during Agecroft Fire Station's open day,” Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said in a statement. “The memorial garden has been created to remember the life of our friend and colleague Watch Manager Dan Lee, who tragically passed away in August of last year.

“The garden is a space for our staff and members of the public to reflect on the life of Dan and others who have passed away in our service. If you would like to visit, join us at Agecroft Fire Station anytime before 4pm today.”

It was opened by Dan's fiancée Simone, his dad Alan and his daughter, who ‘read out a beautiful poem’, the service added.