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Bosley wood mill explosion: owners questioned as four people still missing Bosley wood mill explosion: owners questioned as four people still missing
(about 1 hour later)
Investigators from the Health and Safety Executive have begun questioning the owners and employees at at the Cheshire wood mill where four people remain missing after an explosion on Friday.Investigators from the Health and Safety Executive have begun questioning the owners and employees at at the Cheshire wood mill where four people remain missing after an explosion on Friday.
A criminal inquiry could be launched if the HSE or police found evidence of negligence. No statement has been yet been made by the owner of the mill, Wood Treatment Ltd, part of the Boden Group.A criminal inquiry could be launched if the HSE or police found evidence of negligence. No statement has been yet been made by the owner of the mill, Wood Treatment Ltd, part of the Boden Group.
Three men and a woman are feared to have died. The woman was named as Dorothy Bailey, 61, a mother of three, and one of the men was named by relatives as Jason Shingler, 38. Three men and a woman are feared to have died. They were named by police on Sunday as William Barks, 51, Dorothy Bailey, 62, Jason Shingler, 38, and Derek Moore, 62.
The four are believed to have been inside the mill when the explosion ripped through the building at about 9.10am on Friday in the village of Bosley. Rescuers are focusing on two areas identified in the wreckage by sniffer dogs, fire chiefs said.The four are believed to have been inside the mill when the explosion ripped through the building at about 9.10am on Friday in the village of Bosley. Rescuers are focusing on two areas identified in the wreckage by sniffer dogs, fire chiefs said.
Bailey’s brother, Philip, said she was aware of the risks of working at the mill. She used to tell friends and family: “If it goes, it goes.” He said he was still clinging to the hope that his sister had survived. “We’ve had no confirmation yet because they’re still searching. But I’m fearing the worst.”Bailey’s brother, Philip, said she was aware of the risks of working at the mill. She used to tell friends and family: “If it goes, it goes.” He said he was still clinging to the hope that his sister had survived. “We’ve had no confirmation yet because they’re still searching. But I’m fearing the worst.”
Bailey, whose farm stands on a ridge above the village of Wincle, heard the first of the blasts from his yard. He then watched as thick smoke billowed up from the valley below.Bailey, whose farm stands on a ridge above the village of Wincle, heard the first of the blasts from his yard. He then watched as thick smoke billowed up from the valley below.
“Dorothy will have been working in the main bit of the mill that’s gone. It was her job to suck the dust up with a big machine like a vacuum cleaner,” he said. “I think that once it caught the fireball will have gone through the main building. It will have shot down the whole unit.”“Dorothy will have been working in the main bit of the mill that’s gone. It was her job to suck the dust up with a big machine like a vacuum cleaner,” he said. “I think that once it caught the fireball will have gone through the main building. It will have shot down the whole unit.”
Paul Hancock, chief fire officer for Cheshire fire and rescue service, said specialist rescue teams were still searching the site, which had been left a smoking mass of twisted metal and rubble.Paul Hancock, chief fire officer for Cheshire fire and rescue service, said specialist rescue teams were still searching the site, which had been left a smoking mass of twisted metal and rubble.
“We have identified two locations we are now focusing on. These locations have been confirmed by sniffer dogs,” Hancock said. “The search and rescue teams are working in very challenging conditions, working alongside the Health and Safety Executive explosions team as well as Cheshire constabulary CID.“We have identified two locations we are now focusing on. These locations have been confirmed by sniffer dogs,” Hancock said. “The search and rescue teams are working in very challenging conditions, working alongside the Health and Safety Executive explosions team as well as Cheshire constabulary CID.
“Every single brick has to be recorded and photographed and taken away. It is potentially a criminal investigation and HSE investigation.”“Every single brick has to be recorded and photographed and taken away. It is potentially a criminal investigation and HSE investigation.”
A one-mile cordon remains in place around the site, with acetylene and liquid gas cylinders and 5,000 litres of kerosene in the wreckage. The four-storey building was completely destroyed in the incident, which started with an explosion, followed by a much larger blast, described as witnesses as like “an earthquake”, followed by fire engulfing the site as flames shot 70 metres high.A one-mile cordon remains in place around the site, with acetylene and liquid gas cylinders and 5,000 litres of kerosene in the wreckage. The four-storey building was completely destroyed in the incident, which started with an explosion, followed by a much larger blast, described as witnesses as like “an earthquake”, followed by fire engulfing the site as flames shot 70 metres high.
Cheshire police said they were working closely with the families of the four missing people but were not yet releasing names. All four are believed to be local, with one from the village of Bosley.Cheshire police said they were working closely with the families of the four missing people but were not yet releasing names. All four are believed to be local, with one from the village of Bosley.
A total of 35 casualties were assessed at the scene with four people taken to hospital. A 29-year-old woman was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, after she suffered serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest. Two people were taken to a specialist trauma unit at Royal Stoke University hospital, while a fourth was taken to Whiston hospital, Merseyside.A total of 35 casualties were assessed at the scene with four people taken to hospital. A 29-year-old woman was airlifted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, after she suffered serious burns and blast injuries to her head, face, arms and chest. Two people were taken to a specialist trauma unit at Royal Stoke University hospital, while a fourth was taken to Whiston hospital, Merseyside.
The mill, which made linoleum products out of wood ground down to a powder or flour, has been producing wood flour since 1930 and is the sole manufacturer in the UK. There were fires at the site in 2012 and 2010.The mill, which made linoleum products out of wood ground down to a powder or flour, has been producing wood flour since 1930 and is the sole manufacturer in the UK. There were fires at the site in 2012 and 2010.
David Rutley, Conservative MP for Macclesfield, speaking at the scene, said: “There are some very important questions that local people in the village want to get answers to. I want to make sure, along with all the other services, particularly the Health and Safety Executive, that those questions get answered.David Rutley, Conservative MP for Macclesfield, speaking at the scene, said: “There are some very important questions that local people in the village want to get answers to. I want to make sure, along with all the other services, particularly the Health and Safety Executive, that those questions get answered.
“Certainly people have been in touch with me about environmental concerns because there has been a lot of sawdust in the air, but that was more an environmental basis and I know that the council have been on to that, followed up rigorously on those issues.“Certainly people have been in touch with me about environmental concerns because there has been a lot of sawdust in the air, but that was more an environmental basis and I know that the council have been on to that, followed up rigorously on those issues.
“I understand that there have been fires there before but again that hasn’t been brought to my attention until what happened tragically [on Friday]. But all of these things need to be put together and then, particularly the cause of what happened here, to work out how on earth this tragic accident could have happened.“I understand that there have been fires there before but again that hasn’t been brought to my attention until what happened tragically [on Friday]. But all of these things need to be put together and then, particularly the cause of what happened here, to work out how on earth this tragic accident could have happened.
“So there certainly are questions that need to be answered but I think that comes after today and once we have been able to hopefully find those people unaccounted for.”“So there certainly are questions that need to be answered but I think that comes after today and once we have been able to hopefully find those people unaccounted for.”
The Press Association contributed to this reportThe Press Association contributed to this report