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Windermere fireworks blast pair 'lost consciousness' Windermere wedding fireworks blast deaths 'an accident'
(about 11 hours later)
Fireworks display organisers "most likely" lost consciousness when a single firework flew into a storeroom and exploded, an inquest jury heard. An explosion which killed two people who were preparing fireworks for a wedding was an accident, an inquest jury has ruled.
Andrew Coates, 41, and assistant Polly Connor, 46, were preparing a display for a wedding reception near the shore of Lake Windermere when they died. The bodies of Andrew Coates, 41, and his assistant Polly Connor, 46, were found in the wreckage of a storage building after the fire near the shore of Windermere in August 2014.
The wedding was held in the grounds of a luxury cottage in Ecclerigg, Cumbria, on 30 August 2014. It is believed a single firework had flown into the storeroom and exploded.
The pair were inside either to find shelter, or firefighting equipment.
Explosions were heard three miles away, the hearing in Kendal was told.Explosions were heard three miles away, the hearing in Kendal was told.
It happened about 30 minutes after John Simpson, 61, wed Nicole Rothwell, 44.It happened about 30 minutes after John Simpson, 61, wed Nicole Rothwell, 44.
Firefighters were called to Larch Cottage in mid-afternoon where they found the bodies of father-of-one Mr Coates and mother-of-three Mrs Connor, both from Kendal, near the entrance of an outbuilding. Firefighters were called to the grounds of a luxury cottage in Ecclerigg in mid-afternoon on 30 August, where they found the bodies of father-of-one Mr Coates and mother-of-three Mrs Connor, both from Kendal, near the entrance of an outbuilding.
Giving evidence Stewart Myatt, a fireworks expert from the Health and Safety Laboratory, said he could not find any evidence to say how any of the fireworks ignited.Giving evidence Stewart Myatt, a fireworks expert from the Health and Safety Laboratory, said he could not find any evidence to say how any of the fireworks ignited.
The "most likely sequence of events" was a firework shell penetrated a partitioned wooden wall from outside and hit the back of a metal cabinet in the storeroom before bursting into flames, he told the hearing. The "most likely sequence of events" was that a firework shell penetrated a partitioned wooden wall from outside and hit the back of a metal cabinet in the storeroom before bursting into flames, he told the hearing.
The outbuilding was an L-shaped single-storey wooden construction split into three compartments, also containing a garage and another storage room.The outbuilding was an L-shaped single-storey wooden construction split into three compartments, also containing a garage and another storage room.
Mr Myatt said: "Going through the wall, through the cabinet and exploding seems to be the most likely, plausible mechanism where the people that were in there were rendered unconscious immediately, not able to do anything, not even to run to the door."Mr Myatt said: "Going through the wall, through the cabinet and exploding seems to be the most likely, plausible mechanism where the people that were in there were rendered unconscious immediately, not able to do anything, not even to run to the door."
He thought Mr Coates, a builder, and Mrs Connor, a plumber and former racehorse work rider, would have entered the storeroom to either find shelter from exploding fireworks outside or to get firefighting equipment.He thought Mr Coates, a builder, and Mrs Connor, a plumber and former racehorse work rider, would have entered the storeroom to either find shelter from exploding fireworks outside or to get firefighting equipment.
'Incredibly safety conscious'
Mr Coates and insurance broker Mr Simpson were friends and had launched a joint business venture, Stardust Fireworks, with Mr Coates asked to organise the pyrotechnics for the wedding.Mr Coates and insurance broker Mr Simpson were friends and had launched a joint business venture, Stardust Fireworks, with Mr Coates asked to organise the pyrotechnics for the wedding.
Both men were described as "incredibly safety conscious".Both men were described as "incredibly safety conscious".
The inquest at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal continues with the jury expected to retire to consider its conclusions later. However, HM Coroner for Cumbria, David Roberts, said that it was "questionable" whether the wooden shed was a "suitable structure" for a fireworks store, and it also contained other material, some combustible.
He described the storage licence granted by Cumbria County Council in 2008 as "deficient" as it did not specify the type of fireworks or store to be used, and said he would write to the trading standards department to "carefully review" its licensing.
The inquest jury at Castle Green Hotel in Kendal ruled a verdict of accidental death.