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Bosley mill explosion: Third body found | Bosley mill explosion: Third body found |
(35 minutes later) | |
A third body has been found in the search for workers missing since a fire at a wood flour mill in Cheshire. | A third body has been found in the search for workers missing since a fire at a wood flour mill in Cheshire. |
Police said a post mortem examination confirmed it was that of Derek Moore, 62, one of four missing mill workers. | |
The four were trapped in Friday's explosion and blaze, which caused the collapse of a four-storey building. | |
The remains were found at Wood Flour Mills in Bosley, near Macclesfield. The families of the missing gathered at a local church and visited the mill site. | The remains were found at Wood Flour Mills in Bosley, near Macclesfield. The families of the missing gathered at a local church and visited the mill site. |
Mill owners Wood Treatment Ltd said they were devastated at the deaths of their employees. | |
The firm, which is part of The Boden Group of Companies. also said: "The mill has been part of village life in Bosley for almost 90 years and we share the pain of the community. | |
"We have made contact with all four families and are discussing how best we can help them." | |
'Shocking magnitude' | |
Families of the missing workers gathered at Bosley Methodist Church, which is 300ft (90m) away from the mill inside a safety cordon, before visiting the site. | |
Kelvin Barks, whose brother Will is one of the missing workers, said after the visit: "It's shocking to see the magnitude of what has gone on there. | |
"I was just numb. You just could not believe... the fires are still burning and they have constantly got hoses out. It's colossal down there." | |
He added: "Basically, it's devastation really." | |
Police said Wednesday was a "significant day for action" at the site with the removal of three silos. | Police said Wednesday was a "significant day for action" at the site with the removal of three silos. |
It allowed the search and recovery operation to access an area previously indicated by search dogs, where the body was found. | It allowed the search and recovery operation to access an area previously indicated by search dogs, where the body was found. |
Efforts were continuing to locate the final body, police added. | Efforts were continuing to locate the final body, police added. |
The bodies found on Sunday and Tuesday were "probably" those of Will Barks, 51 and Dorothy Bailey, 62, police said. | The bodies found on Sunday and Tuesday were "probably" those of Will Barks, 51 and Dorothy Bailey, 62, police said. |
Further forensic tests are required to corroborate their identification. | Further forensic tests are required to corroborate their identification. |
Fellow worker Jason Shingler, 38, is also missing. | |
'Ongoing risk' | 'Ongoing risk' |
A joint investigation is under way between police, the fire service and the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the blast. | A joint investigation is under way between police, the fire service and the Health and Safety Executive to establish the cause of the blast. |
Peter Crowcroft, from Cheshire Police, said: "Seeing the families here today has really brought it home for the rescue team. | Peter Crowcroft, from Cheshire Police, said: "Seeing the families here today has really brought it home for the rescue team. |
"We knew the families were here and it brought home a sense of the operation and for us to do a thorough and professional job as quickly as possible." | "We knew the families were here and it brought home a sense of the operation and for us to do a thorough and professional job as quickly as possible." |
The force earlier said the site was a "potential crime scene" and it would be a "long and detailed investigation". | The force earlier said the site was a "potential crime scene" and it would be a "long and detailed investigation". |
Missing people | Missing people |
Paul Hitchen, from Urban Search and Rescue, said: "It's extremely dangerous and arduous for the rescuers, there's a massive amount of metal, concrete and brickwork which we need to move to continue the search. | Paul Hitchen, from Urban Search and Rescue, said: "It's extremely dangerous and arduous for the rescuers, there's a massive amount of metal, concrete and brickwork which we need to move to continue the search. |
"It's not possible to say yet when we will find the fourth body." | "It's not possible to say yet when we will find the fourth body." |
He added the scale of the incident was "unprecedented in this country in the last 10 years". | He added the scale of the incident was "unprecedented in this country in the last 10 years". |
Temperatures reached 1,000C during the explosion and blaze, which caused the collapse of the four-storey building. | Temperatures reached 1,000C during the explosion and blaze, which caused the collapse of the four-storey building. |
The site was also struck by fires in 2010 and 2012. | The site was also struck by fires in 2010 and 2012. |
Wood is processed at the plant into a fine powder and the resulting "wood flour", with a consistency like sand, is used to make laminate flooring. | Wood is processed at the plant into a fine powder and the resulting "wood flour", with a consistency like sand, is used to make laminate flooring. |
The chapel is within the safety cordon and is just 100 metres from the wrecked mill. | The chapel is within the safety cordon and is just 100 metres from the wrecked mill. |
A prayer service will take place at St Mary the Virgin Church in the village on Friday, a week on from the tragedy. | A prayer service will take place at St Mary the Virgin Church in the village on Friday, a week on from the tragedy. |
A notice said it would be held "one week on from the explosion that rocked our community". | A notice said it would be held "one week on from the explosion that rocked our community". |
At the scene: Mark Edwardson, BBC North West Tonight | At the scene: Mark Edwardson, BBC North West Tonight |
Today's development brings the total number of bodies taken out of the site to three, and a fourth person is still missing. | Today's development brings the total number of bodies taken out of the site to three, and a fourth person is still missing. |
Coincidentally, the families of those four people have been to the scene of the explosion this morning, to see how the investigation is progressing. They have also been to a small gathering at Bosley Methodist Church. | Coincidentally, the families of those four people have been to the scene of the explosion this morning, to see how the investigation is progressing. They have also been to a small gathering at Bosley Methodist Church. |
The mill's silos were demolished before the families arrived. There was a real danger they could have collapsed, and they were a risk to the rescue workers. | The mill's silos were demolished before the families arrived. There was a real danger they could have collapsed, and they were a risk to the rescue workers. |
Today all you can see is a wisp of smoke in the valley to tell us that anything happened at all, but police have confirmed that this could become a homicide investigation. | Today all you can see is a wisp of smoke in the valley to tell us that anything happened at all, but police have confirmed that this could become a homicide investigation. |