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| Bosley mill explosion: council officers visited site two weeks before blast | Bosley mill explosion: council officers visited site two weeks before blast |
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| Enforcement officers called at a Cheshire wood mill two weeks before a series of explosions tore through the complex, it has emerged, as police named the four workers feared to have died. | Enforcement officers called at a Cheshire wood mill two weeks before a series of explosions tore through the complex, it has emerged, as police named the four workers feared to have died. |
| Cheshire police said on Sunday night that a body had been found at the site by rescue workers. Officials ordered the company, which has been the subject of complaints about dust, to clear up the site. The local council, Cheshire East, stressed that the company had complied with its enforcement officers, but that it would pass on relevant evidence to the inquiry into the blast. | |
| Police named the missing workers on Sunday as William Barks, 51, Dorothy Bailey, 62, Jason Shingler, 38, and Derek Moore, 62. They are thought to have died instantly in the resulting fireball. A number of their colleagues at Wood Flour Mills were injured in the blast, with others left homeless. Virtually every family in the close-knit village of Bosley, near Macclesfield, has been affected by the tragedy. | Police named the missing workers on Sunday as William Barks, 51, Dorothy Bailey, 62, Jason Shingler, 38, and Derek Moore, 62. They are thought to have died instantly in the resulting fireball. A number of their colleagues at Wood Flour Mills were injured in the blast, with others left homeless. Virtually every family in the close-knit village of Bosley, near Macclesfield, has been affected by the tragedy. |
| The devastating explosions last Friday came after earlier fires on the site in 2010 and 2012. 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. No statement has yet been made by the owner of the mill, Wood Treatment Ltd, part of the Boden Group. | The devastating explosions last Friday came after earlier fires on the site in 2010 and 2012. 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. No statement has yet been made by the owner of the mill, Wood Treatment Ltd, part of the Boden Group. |
| Michael Jones, the leader of Cheshire East council, told a press conference: “We were on site two weeks ago clearing it up and they did well to clear it up. We will produce that evidence as and when necessary.” The council would be passing on details of past complaints and incidents at the site to investigators, he said. | Michael Jones, the leader of Cheshire East council, told a press conference: “We were on site two weeks ago clearing it up and they did well to clear it up. We will produce that evidence as and when necessary.” The council would be passing on details of past complaints and incidents at the site to investigators, he said. |
| Problems associated with dust were common in the industry, and Jones urged people not to jump to conclusions about the cause of the explosion. “We shouldn’t assume anything,” he said. | Problems associated with dust were common in the industry, and Jones urged people not to jump to conclusions about the cause of the explosion. “We shouldn’t assume anything,” he said. |
| Jones said the mill had been the subject of complaints. “There are ongoing complaints, but when you have this nature of business, close to a community, there will be complaints about dust and noise and pollution which we as a council have been dealing with.” | Jones said the mill had been the subject of complaints. “There are ongoing complaints, but when you have this nature of business, close to a community, there will be complaints about dust and noise and pollution which we as a council have been dealing with.” |
| Jones said it was important for the police and Health and Safety Executive to investigate the cause of the disaster. Initial contact had been made with the mill owners, officials said, but Jones confirmed that the owners had yet to make contact with either council officials or their own employees. | Jones said it was important for the police and Health and Safety Executive to investigate the cause of the disaster. Initial contact had been made with the mill owners, officials said, but Jones confirmed that the owners had yet to make contact with either council officials or their own employees. |
| David Rutley, the Conservative MP for Macclesfield, said: “I think it’s important to say the business does need to get involved with the investigation, because there are questions in the community that need to be answered. Today is not that day, today is about the families. In due course those questions, those important questions, will need to be answered.” | David Rutley, the Conservative MP for Macclesfield, said: “I think it’s important to say the business does need to get involved with the investigation, because there are questions in the community that need to be answered. Today is not that day, today is about the families. In due course those questions, those important questions, will need to be answered.” |
| Guy Hindle, the assistant chief constable of Cheshire police, said a joint investigation with the HSE would begin once the search phase had been completed. Sniffer dogs have located the likely locations of the four missing workers. Fire crews were working in a hazardous environment in which “one or two” small pockets of fire continued to burn in isolated voids. | Guy Hindle, the assistant chief constable of Cheshire police, said a joint investigation with the HSE would begin once the search phase had been completed. Sniffer dogs have located the likely locations of the four missing workers. Fire crews were working in a hazardous environment in which “one or two” small pockets of fire continued to burn in isolated voids. |
| Paul Hancock, the chief fire officer for Cheshire fire and rescue service, said the search was being concentrated on two specific areas where silos had been packed with wood flour. | Paul Hancock, the chief fire officer for Cheshire fire and rescue service, said the search was being concentrated on two specific areas where silos had been packed with wood flour. |
| He added: “At this moment in time we have not been able to locate anybody, but we firmly believe we are searching the right areas. Our thoughts continue to be with the families.” | He added: “At this moment in time we have not been able to locate anybody, but we firmly believe we are searching the right areas. Our thoughts continue to be with the families.” |
| Investigators were focused on finding people alive, he said. “They will not give up hope until they locate these four individuals.” | Investigators were focused on finding people alive, he said. “They will not give up hope until they locate these four individuals.” |
| Earlier, relatives of those who are thought to have perished in the disaster gathered for a service in the parish church. The Rev John Harries, vicar of St Mary the Virgin, said: “Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to those still waiting – waiting for news, still sat by the bedsides of their loved ones in hospital, and for those still trying to come to terms with what has happened. | Earlier, relatives of those who are thought to have perished in the disaster gathered for a service in the parish church. The Rev John Harries, vicar of St Mary the Virgin, said: “Our hearts and thoughts and prayers go out to those still waiting – waiting for news, still sat by the bedsides of their loved ones in hospital, and for those still trying to come to terms with what has happened. |
| “No one thinks this is going to be over in a day. This is going to affect us for many months and years. We have here a strong community, but there is a lot of processing to go through. | “No one thinks this is going to be over in a day. This is going to affect us for many months and years. We have here a strong community, but there is a lot of processing to go through. |
| “Four people are missing, four are in hospital. Others are experiencing breathing difficulties, and still others are just suffering from the trauma, still seeing the flames in the sky. | “Four people are missing, four are in hospital. Others are experiencing breathing difficulties, and still others are just suffering from the trauma, still seeing the flames in the sky. |
| “Homes have been destroyed, families are distraught, and the community is in deep distress. We are in shock, we are broken and distraught.” | “Homes have been destroyed, families are distraught, and the community is in deep distress. We are in shock, we are broken and distraught.” |
| The local Methodist minister, the Rev Pam Butler, spoke of “the turmoil of emotion each of us is experiencing. Our hearts go out to all who were there.” | The local Methodist minister, the Rev Pam Butler, spoke of “the turmoil of emotion each of us is experiencing. Our hearts go out to all who were there.” |