This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-36743623
The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 5 | Version 6 |
|---|---|
| Birmingham wall collapse deaths: All five bodies recovered | Birmingham wall collapse deaths: All five bodies recovered |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The bodies of all five workers killed in a wall collapse at a recycling plant in Birmingham have been recovered. | |
| Two bodies were retrieved from the rubble at Hawkeswood Metal in Nechells on Thursday, with the third being removed on Friday morning. | Two bodies were retrieved from the rubble at Hawkeswood Metal in Nechells on Thursday, with the third being removed on Friday morning. |
| The men, originally from Gambia, died when a 15ft wall of concrete and scrap metal fell on them as they worked. | The men, originally from Gambia, died when a 15ft wall of concrete and scrap metal fell on them as they worked. |
| Relatives wanted the bodies recovered for burial as soon as possible, in accordance with Muslim custom. | Relatives wanted the bodies recovered for burial as soon as possible, in accordance with Muslim custom. |
| The fourth and fifth bodies were removed from the scene on Friday afternoon and it is thought they will be taken to a mortuary in Coventry. | |
| Wall collapse deaths: Live updates | Wall collapse deaths: Live updates |
| "This is killing me. My brother is there." | "This is killing me. My brother is there." |
| Community rallies to help bereaved families | Community rallies to help bereaved families |
| Forensic post-mortem examinations will then be carried out on Monday. | |
| Det Supt Mark Payne, of West Midlands Police, said some identification "may not be straightforward" and DNA methods maybe used. | |
| He said officers were in contact with all of the families and the coroner's office "to take the families through the next stage of the process". | |
| "Today we will be carrying out the final stages of the search and making everything safe," he said. | |
| "Then we will work with the HSE [Health and Safety Executive] to see exactly what the cause of this incident was. Then we will take appropriate action once we know." | |
| The men have been named locally as Bangaly Dukureh, Ousman Jabbie, Alimamo Jammeh, Mohammed Jangana and Saibo Sillah. All are believed to married with children. | The men have been named locally as Bangaly Dukureh, Ousman Jabbie, Alimamo Jammeh, Mohammed Jangana and Saibo Sillah. All are believed to married with children. |
| A sixth man who was injured in the crush but managed to free himself is being treated in hospital for a broken leg. | A sixth man who was injured in the crush but managed to free himself is being treated in hospital for a broken leg. |
| Simon Hardiman, group officer in charge of fire safety at West Midlands Police, said the service had to juggle the safety of its crews and respect the dignity of the victims. | Simon Hardiman, group officer in charge of fire safety at West Midlands Police, said the service had to juggle the safety of its crews and respect the dignity of the victims. |
| He said that although scenes of crime officers are at the site, the incident is not being treated as a crime. | He said that although scenes of crime officers are at the site, the incident is not being treated as a crime. |
| Money has been pouring into a fundraising initiative launched by the Birmingham Mail and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, with almost £15,000 raised. | Money has been pouring into a fundraising initiative launched by the Birmingham Mail and the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, with almost £15,000 raised. |
| Crowds gathered at the gates of Hawkeswood Recycling during the morning but most left at lunchtime to attend Friday prayers. | Crowds gathered at the gates of Hawkeswood Recycling during the morning but most left at lunchtime to attend Friday prayers. |
| The local branch of the Gambian Association, based in Ladywood, said it was "devastated" by the news. | The local branch of the Gambian Association, based in Ladywood, said it was "devastated" by the news. |
| Fizar Mahmood, who lives next to the recycling site, said he heard the sound of the wall collapsing but only found out what had happened when his brother called him later. | Fizar Mahmood, who lives next to the recycling site, said he heard the sound of the wall collapsing but only found out what had happened when his brother called him later. |
| "I heard the noise in the morning, I didn't expect that this would be happening here," he said. | "I heard the noise in the morning, I didn't expect that this would be happening here," he said. |
| At the scene on Friday morning: Rebecca Woods, BBC reporter | |
| After 24 hours of waiting for news, tensions are running high at Hawkeswood Metal. | After 24 hours of waiting for news, tensions are running high at Hawkeswood Metal. |
| A large crowd of men has gathered as friends and relatives wait for news of their loved ones. | A large crowd of men has gathered as friends and relatives wait for news of their loved ones. |
| Father-of-nine Boubakaray Sera, from London, broke down in tears, begging police and fire officers for information. | Father-of-nine Boubakaray Sera, from London, broke down in tears, begging police and fire officers for information. |
| "This is killing me. My brother is there. I don't know anything," he said to the workers. | "This is killing me. My brother is there. I don't know anything," he said to the workers. |
| "We are patient. We are not animals." | "We are patient. We are not animals." |
| Lamin Yaffa leads the Gambian Islamic Centre on Raglan Road in the Cape Hill, in Smethwick near Birmingham. | Lamin Yaffa leads the Gambian Islamic Centre on Raglan Road in the Cape Hill, in Smethwick near Birmingham. |
| He said the Gambian community in Birmingham, which numbers about 10,000 people, had been deeply affected by the deaths, and was rallying round to help the men's families. | He said the Gambian community in Birmingham, which numbers about 10,000 people, had been deeply affected by the deaths, and was rallying round to help the men's families. |
| "There's been a huge response, people are very shocked," he said. | "There's been a huge response, people are very shocked," he said. |
| "There are quite a lot of Gambians in Birmingham, it's a close community and we all know each other. Gambians are still like the olden days of the UK, people are very close. | "There are quite a lot of Gambians in Birmingham, it's a close community and we all know each other. Gambians are still like the olden days of the UK, people are very close. |
| "We need to look at how to give the families the comfort they need." | "We need to look at how to give the families the comfort they need." |
| Det Supt Mark Payne, from West Midlands Police, said officers had a "reasonable idea" about what happened, but added that an investigation was continuing. | Det Supt Mark Payne, from West Midlands Police, said officers had a "reasonable idea" about what happened, but added that an investigation was continuing. |
| Hawkeswood Metal Recycling Ltd was established more than 40 years ago, and says it deals with more than 500,000 tonnes of scrap metal each year at its Nechells site. | Hawkeswood Metal Recycling Ltd was established more than 40 years ago, and says it deals with more than 500,000 tonnes of scrap metal each year at its Nechells site. |
| The company, which employs about 50 people, was fined £50,000 in 2012 after a worker's arm became trapped in machinery. It also pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to a breach of health and safety law. | The company, which employs about 50 people, was fined £50,000 in 2012 after a worker's arm became trapped in machinery. It also pleaded guilty at Birmingham Crown Court to a breach of health and safety law. |
| The recycling plant was also the scene of a major fire in February this year, as 700 tonnes of scrap metal went up in flames. | The recycling plant was also the scene of a major fire in February this year, as 700 tonnes of scrap metal went up in flames. |