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Bosley mill explosion: 'Disaster waiting to happen' | |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The brother of a man feared dead in an explosion at a Cheshire wood flour mill said it was a "disaster waiting to happen". | |
One of the two bodies found at Wood Flour Mills in Bosley, near Macclesfield, is "probably that" of Will Barks, police have said. | One of the two bodies found at Wood Flour Mills in Bosley, near Macclesfield, is "probably that" of Will Barks, police have said. |
Kelvin Barks said his brother had often expressed concerns about safety. | |
Owner Wood Treatment Ltd said it took the safety of staff "extremely seriously". | |
It said it was "committed to establishing the cause of the incident" and was co-operating fully with an investigation led by the emergency services and Health and Safety Executive (HSE). | |
'Potential crime scene' | |
The HSE served the firm with improvement notices two years ago, in which it warned of a risk of an explosion or fire, although the company complied with the notice. | |
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Assistant Chief Constable Guy Hindle, from Cheshire Police, said it could become a criminal investigation, describing the site as a "potential crime scene". | |
Kelvin Barks said his brother had not been happy at the mill and had been applying for other jobs. | |
"He said it was a disaster waiting to happen. He wasn't wrong," he said. | |
Will Barks, 51, is feared dead along with fellow workers Derek Moore, 62, Dorothy Bailey, 62 and Jason Shingler, 38. | |
Unstable silos were demolished at the site on Wednesday to allow search teams to continue their work. | |
'In limbo' | |
Kelvin Barks said he had been "disgusted" by the lack of contact from Wood Treatment Ltd. | |
His father, Geoff Hobson, from Leek in Staffordshire, said he had "heard absolutely nothing" from the company, "except a feeble apology. It's not good enough". | |
The company has not responded to a request for a comment. | |
Mr Hobson said the family had been left "in limbo," waiting for confirmation that the body is that of his son. | |
"This is going to absolutely destroy us," he said. | |
Mr Hobson added it could take "two or three days" to identify the bodies that have been found. | Mr Hobson added it could take "two or three days" to identify the bodies that have been found. |
"They can't identify whether it's male or female because of the state of it," he said. | "They can't identify whether it's male or female because of the state of it," he said. |
"His wife is absolutely distraught. They were a devoted couple. This torture she is going through now is the same as what we're going through. We can't get any closure on it," he said. | "His wife is absolutely distraught. They were a devoted couple. This torture she is going through now is the same as what we're going through. We can't get any closure on it," he said. |
Missing people | Missing people |
Cheshire Police said: "A body was recovered from the scene on Sunday night. A post mortem has now taken place. | Cheshire Police said: "A body was recovered from the scene on Sunday night. A post mortem has now taken place. |
"Formal identification has not been made but, based on the information available to the coroner, indications are that it is probably that of William Barks, aged 51. | "Formal identification has not been made but, based on the information available to the coroner, indications are that it is probably that of William Barks, aged 51. |
"However, further forensic tests are required to corroborate the identification." | "However, further forensic tests are required to corroborate the identification." |
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