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Not a good start to the celebrations
http://www.taxi-driver.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7555		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Sussex [ Mon Dec 24, 2007 8:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Not a good start to the celebrations
No matter how bad a day any of us have had, it's a thousand times better than the friends and families of these colleagues. :sad:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/7159018.stm
Author:  gusmac [ Tue Dec 25, 2007 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Not a good start to the celebrations
Sussex wrote:
No matter how bad a day any of us have had, it's a thousand times better than the friends and families of these colleagues. :sad:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/humber/7159018.stm
A sad start to this festive season. Our problems seem so unimportant when this sort of thing happens.
Our thoughts are with those touched by this tradgedy. :cry:
Author:  Nigel [ Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:03 am ]
Post subject: 
Freds Taxis were part of our EWS network team who transported the EWS train drivers all over the UK. When we heard the news yesterday morning to say we were shocked wasn't the word. A vary sad day for Freds Taxis and all involved with them.
Author:  MR T [ Tue Dec 25, 2007 7:43 pm ]
Post subject: 
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/a ... ge_id=1770
Author:  captain cab [ Sat Dec 20, 2008 11:07 pm ]
Post subject: 
Two charged over Immingham blast tragedy

THE husband of one of two women killed in a taxi office blast last Christmas Eve faces charges over the tragedy.

Tony Barker – whose wife Sue (43) died in the explosion at Fred's Taxis, Immingham, alongside her colleague Ann Mawer (52) – will appear before magistrates in January to answer health and safety charges.

As reported, petrol stored at the premises, on Pelham Road, leaked and ignited. The women died from smoke and fumes inhalation.

Immingham Services Station Ltd, from where the fuel container was obtained, and its director, Martin Cook, also face the same charges as Mr Barker.

North East Lincolnshire Council's head of public protection, John Seale, said the action relates to allegations of breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Petroleum Consolidation Act.

He confirmed: "The council's health and safety team have carried out a comprehensive investigation and as a result we are bringing matters before the court."

A coroner's jury returned a verdict of accidental death on both women following the tragedy.

Coroner Paul Kelly called for greater education of the storage of fuel and outlawing of illegal containers.

The inquest had heard that, last Christmas Eve, excess petrol had been stored in a plastic container. It leaked in the office when he laid it down near the doorway.

At the inquest, Mr Barker admitted the fuel had been stored because he did not want to run out of petrol over the Christmas holiday, recalling how the container "collapsed like an egg" and leaked petrol all over the office floor and over him. Mystery still surrounds what ignited the spilled fuel.

Health and Safety officials announced they were reopening the investigation into the fire in July.

As a result, the case will be heard at Grimsby Magistrates' Court on January 29.

Christmas Eve memorial planned
Author:  captain cab [ Fri Jan 30, 2009 6:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Service station director in court over explosion


A DIRECTOR of Immingham Services Station Ltd – where a taxi office owner bought fuel which later exploded killing two women – has appeared before magistrates.

Martin Cook, of the Pelham Road petrol station, appeared at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court to answer health and safety charges.

The husband of one of the women killed in the Christmas Eve explosion, Anthony Barker, of Talbot Road, Immingham, did not appear in court.

He is also charged with breaches of Health And Safety At Work rules and offences relating to the Petroleum Consolidation Act.

No pleas were entered at the hearing and the case was adjourned until April 2 for plea and directions.

As reported, Mr Barker’s wife Sue (43) and fellow taxi office worker Ann Mawer (52) died in the explosion on Christmas Eve 2007.

At an inquest into their death it was revealed both died from inhalation of fumes.

The explosion was caused when petrol leaked from a container bought by Mr Barker because he did not want his taxis to run out of petrol over the Christmas period, the inquest heard.

In court, representing Mr Cook and Immingham Services Station Ltd, Susan Cha correctsaid more information was required from the Health And Safety Executive before pleas could be entered.

Both men are on unconditional bail. Mr Barker is represented by Roy Foreman.
Author:  Sussex [ Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:40 pm ]
Post subject: 
A further update.

http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/news/Cro ... ticle.html
Author:  captain cab [ Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:08 am ]
Post subject: 
Owner fined £2,000 after taxi rank blast


A TAXI firm owner whose wife and another employee were killed in a horrific Christmas Eve explosion has been fined after admitting health and safety breaches.

Tony Barker, 46, of Washdyke Lane, Immingham, was fined £2,000 after failing to ensure employees were not exposed to risks at Fred's Taxis, Pelham Road, Immingham.

His wife Sue, 43, and her colleague Ann Mawer, from South Killingholme, both perished in the blaze which was sparked when petrol stored inside the office was ignited.

The charges relate to using and storing petrol inside the premises, in an office where there were sources of ignition.

Immingham Service Station Ltd, the company which ran a next-door petrol station and supplied Barker's fuel, was fined £6,000 at yesterday's Grimsby Crown Court hearing.


The company admitted contravening a licence condition by dispensing petrol in an unapproved container. Charges against company director Martin Cook, 66, were withdrawn.

Neil Cameron, prosecuting for North East Lincolnshire Council, said Barker bought £25 worth of petrol from garage assistant and mechanic Neil Hewitt to tide him over Christmas.

Mr Hewitt used an old plastic can to put in just under 25 litres of petrol, which Barker carried in to his taxi office. The container "cracked like an egg", petrol leaked out and there was a massive explosion.

Under the regulations, there should not have been more than five litres of petrol in the container.

There was a gas heater in the office and other electrical appliances. The petrol was ignited and exploded, killing the two women, who died after inhaling fumes and could not escape in time.

"The heat and power of the flames was unbelievable," said Mr Cameron.

Barker escaped from the office but his clothes were on fire and he could hear screaming from inside the office.

Gordon Stables, mitigating, said: "He lost his wife in this dreadful incident and there was also the death of Ann Mawer, a friend of his for some 20-plus years and an employee of at least five years. It's horrible to think of and imagine.

"He has flashbacks and nightmares," said Mr Stables.

"There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't recall these incidents. For a long time, he cried nightly.

"He is deeply, deeply sorry for what happened and for what he did."

In addition to the fines, Barker was ordered to pay £400 costs and the company £1,500 costs. Both must pay a Government-imposed £15 victims' surcharge.

Judge David Tremberg said the case proved what a "highly dangerous substance petrol was" and the absolute necessity of storing, dispensing and handling it with scrupulous care.

It was a "critical lesson" to learn. Barker's behaviour had been "extremely dangerous" and he "simply did not take on board the degree of risk he was running", said Judge Tremberg.

source: http://www.thisisscunthorpe.co.uk/news/
Author:  Nigel [ Tue Feb 23, 2010 8:35 pm ]
Post subject: 
Kin ell they must have suffered in that inferno, I remember that night well, one of our drivers was up there at the time dropping a train driver off when the whole lot went up. He said you could here the bang from Immingham CHP.
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