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New inquiry ordered into mineshaft death of Alison Hume New inquiry ordered into mineshaft death of Alison Hume
(about 1 hour later)
First Minister Alex Salmond has ordered a new inquiry into the death of a woman who fell down an Ayrshire mineshaft. The first minister has ordered a new independent inquiry into the death of a woman who fell down a mineshaft.
He told MSPs that Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire and Rescue Services would look at the circumstances surrounding the death of Alison Hume. Alex Salmond also said the family of Alison Hume deserved an apology in the wake of the incident, in Ayrshire.
The move comes after a fatal accident inquiry highlighted several failings in how the emergency services responded. Mrs Hume, 44, lay for six hours after health and safety rules delayed a rescue at Galston, in 2008.
Mrs Hume, 44, lay for six hours after health and safety rules delayed a rescue at Galston in 2008. The new probe will come after a fatal accident inquiry highlighted several failings in how the emergency services responded.
She fell into the decommissioned Goatfoot Colliery mineshaft shortly before or after midnight on 26 July 2008. The chief inspector of fire and rescue authorities, Steven Torrie, will head up the new inquiry - only the second of its kind - which is expected to get under way shortly and to last several months.
Emergency services were called to the scene at about 02:15 after the lawyer was found by her daughter. At the same time, a spokesman for Mr Salmond said: "The first minister believes Alison Hume's bereaved family are entitles to an apology for their loss."
The mother-of-two was eventually freed by mountain rescue experts at about 07:42 but later died in Kilmarnock's Crosshouse Hospital. The comment came after Strathclyde Fire and Rescue described the death as "a source or enormous regret", but did not apologise.
The resulting fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into her death concluded that Mrs Hume may have lived if emergency services - and the fire service in particular - had removed her sooner. Mrs Hume, a lawyer and mother-of-two, fell into the decommissioned Goatfoot Colliery mineshaft shortly before or after midnight on 26 July 2008.
It highlighted procedural failings which led to the delay and said senior officers on the scene "rigidly stood by their operational guidelines". Emergency services were called to the scene at about 02:15 after she was found by her daughter and was freed by mountain rescue experts at about 07:42, but later died in Kilmarnock's Crosshouse Hospital.
The issue was raised at First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday. The fatal accident inquiry into her death, overseen by Sheriff Desmond Leslie, concluded Mrs Hume may have lived if emergency services - and the fire service in particular - had removed her sooner.
Mr Salmond said the FAI determination carried "many important lessons and issues". The sheriff's ruling highlighted procedural failings which led to the delay, and said senior officers on the scene "rigidly stood by their operational guidelines".
'Comprehensive inquiry' Speaking during first minister's questions at Holyrood, Mr Salmond said the FAI determination carried "many important lessons and issues", adding: "What people will now be looking for is an indication of the action that now must follow."
"What people will now be looking for is an indication of the action that now must follow," he said. "Given the serious nature of the determination by Sheriff Leslie, I've asked the minister for community safety to make such a request of the chief inspector," he said.
The new independent probe, headed up by the chief inspector of fire and rescue authorities, Steven Torrie, will get under way shortly and is expected to last several months.
Ministers have used legislative powers to order the inquiry, only the second of its kind.
Mr Salmond said: "Given the serious nature of the determination by Sheriff Leslie, I've asked the minister for community safety to make such a request of the chief inspector (of fire and rescue services).
"He will then carry out a comprehensive inquiry and the report is then laid before this parliament."He will then carry out a comprehensive inquiry and the report is then laid before this parliament.
"It will then be for ministers to decide what direction, if any, can be made.""It will then be for ministers to decide what direction, if any, can be made."
The first minister told parliament: "This is the most serious nature of action that can be made by ministers under the legislation - I think the circumstances of the case reflect it and require it."The first minister told parliament: "This is the most serious nature of action that can be made by ministers under the legislation - I think the circumstances of the case reflect it and require it."
Mr Salmond also said there was "nothing in Sheriff Leslie's determination which questions that the firefighters and fire officers on site - every single one of them - had the aim and intention of rescuing Alison Hume." Mr Salmond also said there was "nothing in Sheriff Leslie's determination which questions that the firefighters and fire officers on site - every single one of them - had the aim and intention of rescuing Alison Hume".
He added there was "nothing in the determination to deflect from the general admiration and support that we give the fire services and our other blue light services, which do such a fantastic job on Scotland's behalf." He added there was "nothing in the determination to deflect from the general admiration and support that we give the fire services and our other blue light services, which do such a fantastic job on Scotland's behalf".