Members of the emergency services use a cherry picker to access the crash site of a police helicopter on the roof of a pub in the centre of Glasgow (Reuters picture)
Members of the emergency services use a cherry picker to access the crash site in the centre of Glasgow (Reuters)

Stranraer FC player Frank McKeown was on duty as a firefighter at the site of the Glasgow helicopter pub crash on Friday.

The defender worked until 8am on Saturday morning rescuing those injured in the crash at The Clutha bar before heading off to play in a William Hill Scottish Cup match against Clyde FC.

Eight people are now feared dead - including the two police officers and civilian pilot on board the helicopter. The death toll is still expected to rise.

McKeown took to Twitter to express his shock after taking part in the rescue operation before he played in the Clyde match.

He tweeted: "Last night just sinking in#Surreal#thoughts&prayerswith families#Now to Clyde FC in the @WillHillScotCup last 32#appreciatelifeslittlethings."

The 27-year-old was one of 125 firefighters who attended the scene with some working on the roof and others in the cellar of the pub.

Assistant Chief Officer Lewis Ramsay of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said it had been difficult to tell how many people were trapped inside. He confirmed that the building was "very unsafe" and that emergency services were working to make the structure safe.

He told reporters: "It's a case of working hard within the building to try and determine how many casualties are there.

"We are determined that we are going to get the building stable and we will be in there to carry out those rescues."

He added: "There were a number of casualties removed earlier on at the start of the incident.

"They have been taken to hospital and other locations."

Ramsay praised the bravery of crews who worked at the scene.

Labour MP Jim Murphy was also among those who rushed to the scene to help.

"People were just running, climbing towards the danger, when you are doing that, you are thinking, 'This hasn't exploded yet, there's no fire, there's been no explosion'," he told the Scottish Daily Record.

"People reacted the right way, almost like a human chain, mostly men standing in line, passing injured people from one to another to get them out, drag folk from the debris to get them out," the shadow cabinet member added.

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