Warwickshire Council admits fire deaths charge

[dutchman]

Warwickshire County Council has pleaded guilty to a health and safety charge over the deaths of four firefighters killed in a warehouse blaze.



The bodies of Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, and Darren Yates-Badley, 24, were found in the burnt factory, in Atherstone-on-Stour, in November 2007.

A fourth fireman Ian Reid, 44, died later in hospital.

The council was accused of failing to ensure safety at work and pleaded guilty at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

It contravened section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
Body search

A large fire started at the plant in Atherstone Industrial Estate, on the site of a disused airfield, in the early evening of 2 November 2007.

The site was owned by Wealmoor Atherstone Ltd, which employed 300 workers at the plant. None of its staff were trapped in the fire.

Up to 100 firefighters and five ambulance crews were sent to the blaze and three Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service crew members were inside the building when the roof collapsed.

The blaze continued for more than 12 hours and the men were reported missing presumed dead.

A search began for their bodies on 4 November but strong winds made the gutted warehouse frame unstable and hampered the search efforts.

All three bodies were recovered by 6 November.