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-norfolk-26188751
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Claxton Engineering crush deaths 'accidental' | Claxton Engineering crush deaths 'accidental' |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The deaths of four men from Suffolk who were crushed under 13 tonnes of steel on a building site were accidental, an inquest has concluded. | |
| Daniel Hazelton, 30, his brother Thomas Hazelton, 26, Adam Taylor, 28, and Peter Johnson, 42, were killed at Great Yarmouth on 21 January 2011. | Daniel Hazelton, 30, his brother Thomas Hazelton, 26, Adam Taylor, 28, and Peter Johnson, 42, were killed at Great Yarmouth on 21 January 2011. |
| They were crushed when a structure collapsed at the site at Claxton Engineering in North River Road. | They were crushed when a structure collapsed at the site at Claxton Engineering in North River Road. |
| The inquest was held at Sprowston Manor Hotel, near Norwich. | The inquest was held at Sprowston Manor Hotel, near Norwich. |
| The Hazelton brothers and Mr Johnson were from Stanton, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and Mr Taylor was from nearby Rickinghall. | The Hazelton brothers and Mr Johnson were from Stanton, near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and Mr Taylor was from nearby Rickinghall. |
| The inquest heard that Claxton Engineering wanted a new site on which to carry out high-pressure testing of pipes for the offshore oil and gas industry and the firm hired Encompass Project Management to do the job. | |
| Encompass then hired Hazegood Construction to carry out the groundworks and build the steel reinforcing cage. | |
| Coroner Jacqueline Lake had directed the jury that accidental death was the only verdict open to them. | |
| She said they must not apportion any blame or reach a verdict that may cause either civil or criminal proceedings. | |
| Jonathan Elven, a Health and Safety Executive inspector, said it would look at the evidence heard and then consider whether to press charges against any company or individual. | |
| Julia Kendrick, the barrister for Encompass Project Management, said the firm ceased trading in August 2012. | |
| She added that Encompass had not carried out any steelworks since the accident and was not trading on any sites. | |
| Hazegood Construction director Matthew Hazleton, the brother of two of the men who died, said his company had kept going but struggled to find work as a result of the damage to its reputation. | |
| He said a decision would be made in the future by him and his fellow director Neil Gooderham about whether to continue running the business. | |
| A statement issued on behalf of the families of the four men who died said: "We will never be able to come to terms with our devastating loss; four men went to work that day and never came home again. | |
| "The evidence clearly showed that Dan, Tom, Peter and Adam were conscientious and skilled workers and no concerns were raised about the steelwork they were doing. | |
| "We hope... lessons will be learned to ensure such a terrible tragedy never happens again." | |
| A spokesman for Claxton Engineering said the company "has supported all investigations into this tragedy and will continue to do so". | |
| They added: "The thoughts of everyone at the company are with the families who have lost their loved ones." |