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| Five men killed as wall collapses at Birmingham recycling centre | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The bodies of five workers killed after a wall collapsed at a metal recycling plant have been recovered from the rubble. | The bodies of five workers killed after a wall collapsed at a metal recycling plant have been recovered from the rubble. |
| The final three victims were removed from beneath tonnes of metal and concrete on Friday after a painstaking two-day operation by emergency services involving the use of heavy-lifting equipment. | The final three victims were removed from beneath tonnes of metal and concrete on Friday after a painstaking two-day operation by emergency services involving the use of heavy-lifting equipment. |
| All five workers were pronounced dead at the scene following the incident at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling in the Nechells area of Birmingham at about 8.40am on Thursday. | All five workers were pronounced dead at the scene following the incident at Hawkeswood Metal Recycling in the Nechells area of Birmingham at about 8.40am on Thursday. |
| Police were called to the facility after receiving reports that a wall had collapsed. Emergency services attended, but the workers could not be saved. | Police were called to the facility after receiving reports that a wall had collapsed. Emergency services attended, but the workers could not be saved. |
| The men, who friends and relatives said were Spanish with Gambian heritage, were crushed to death underneath the eight-metre-tall concrete and metal structure shortly before 9am on Thursday, police said. | The men, who friends and relatives said were Spanish with Gambian heritage, were crushed to death underneath the eight-metre-tall concrete and metal structure shortly before 9am on Thursday, police said. |
| A sixth man was partially trapped by the falling concrete and sustained a broken leg, but managed to free himself from the rubble, the West Midlands ambulance service said. | A sixth man was partially trapped by the falling concrete and sustained a broken leg, but managed to free himself from the rubble, the West Midlands ambulance service said. |
| An investigation into how the collapse happened was under way on Friday. A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive confirmed that its inspectors had attended the scene and would work with police. | An investigation into how the collapse happened was under way on Friday. A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive confirmed that its inspectors had attended the scene and would work with police. |
| Det Supt Mark Payne said: “We are still in the very early stages of this investigation to determine exactly what happened. Sadly, five people have lost their lives and we have several teams of specialist officers supporting their families at this time. This has been a very traumatic incident for those who were at the site this morning, and we will continue to work alongside the HSE and the other emergency services at the scene.” | Det Supt Mark Payne said: “We are still in the very early stages of this investigation to determine exactly what happened. Sadly, five people have lost their lives and we have several teams of specialist officers supporting their families at this time. This has been a very traumatic incident for those who were at the site this morning, and we will continue to work alongside the HSE and the other emergency services at the scene.” |
| Manka Sawo, who was among the friends and relatives at the scene, said they had been alerted to the incident by the injured man, who rang them at about 9am to tell them what had happened. “It is devastating. I knew one of the men very closely; yesterday we celebrated Eid together. It’s very, very sad. Five of them have lost their lives,” he said. | Manka Sawo, who was among the friends and relatives at the scene, said they had been alerted to the incident by the injured man, who rang them at about 9am to tell them what had happened. “It is devastating. I knew one of the men very closely; yesterday we celebrated Eid together. It’s very, very sad. Five of them have lost their lives,” he said. |
| “We are looking for information, we don’t know what has happened yet. Everybody here is of a different relation – family, friends, cousins, we are all very close.” | “We are looking for information, we don’t know what has happened yet. Everybody here is of a different relation – family, friends, cousins, we are all very close.” |
| Slav Angiyu, 43, a lorry driver who was at the site when the accident happened, said: “We were reloading the recycling metal into containers which will go to China. I was just about to leave and the guys said: ‘Stop, stop, nobody go anywhere, stay where you are.’ They said it was a major accident. One of the workers said the wall had crashed. | Slav Angiyu, 43, a lorry driver who was at the site when the accident happened, said: “We were reloading the recycling metal into containers which will go to China. I was just about to leave and the guys said: ‘Stop, stop, nobody go anywhere, stay where you are.’ They said it was a major accident. One of the workers said the wall had crashed. |
| “I saw one guy lying on the floor and paramedics were putting a mask on him and talking to him. They were trying to resuscitate him. The police came and told me to leave the truck and escorted me out. My heart goes out to the families of the victims.” | “I saw one guy lying on the floor and paramedics were putting a mask on him and talking to him. They were trying to resuscitate him. The police came and told me to leave the truck and escorted me out. My heart goes out to the families of the victims.” |
| Before the bodies were recovered, assistant chief fire officer Gary Taylor said: “The scene is an extremely challenging one, involving significant tonnage of concrete and metal and a structure that is still unstable. We have an assertive recovery plan in place and expect this operation to take several hours. The skills and services of West Midlands fire service will be available for whatever needs to be done, and we will be working hand in glove with our partners at the scene.” | Before the bodies were recovered, assistant chief fire officer Gary Taylor said: “The scene is an extremely challenging one, involving significant tonnage of concrete and metal and a structure that is still unstable. We have an assertive recovery plan in place and expect this operation to take several hours. The skills and services of West Midlands fire service will be available for whatever needs to be done, and we will be working hand in glove with our partners at the scene.” |
| Hawkeswood Metal Recycling’s website says it has been trading for 40 years and has an “extensive and healthy customer base”, including local authorities and international metal companies. The company trades in ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, and operates from three sites. | Hawkeswood Metal Recycling’s website says it has been trading for 40 years and has an “extensive and healthy customer base”, including local authorities and international metal companies. The company trades in ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, and operates from three sites. |
| In February, there was a large fire at the 700-tonne scrap metal recycling plant. More than 20 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, which started when more than 100 tonnes of shredded scrap metal caught alight in an area covering 2,500 sq metres. | In February, there was a large fire at the 700-tonne scrap metal recycling plant. More than 20 firefighters were sent to tackle the blaze, which started when more than 100 tonnes of shredded scrap metal caught alight in an area covering 2,500 sq metres. |
| In April 2010, the company was fined £50,000 for breaching health and safety regulations after a worker’s arm was broken when it became trapped in a piece of machinery. The worker, who had been employed by Hawkeswood for six months, later won an undisclosed amount of compensation. | In April 2010, the company was fined £50,000 for breaching health and safety regulations after a worker’s arm was broken when it became trapped in a piece of machinery. The worker, who had been employed by Hawkeswood for six months, later won an undisclosed amount of compensation. |
| The company had a turnover of £30.3m and a pretax profit of £327,036 last year. It had 26 employees, including four managers, according to its annual report. | The company had a turnover of £30.3m and a pretax profit of £327,036 last year. It had 26 employees, including four managers, according to its annual report. |
| David Cameron said in a statement that he was shocked to hear about Thursday’s incident. “My thoughts are with the families of those involved,” the prime minister said. | David Cameron said in a statement that he was shocked to hear about Thursday’s incident. “My thoughts are with the families of those involved,” the prime minister said. |