Man dies as Huddersfield pie factory is rocked by blast

Apr 11 2009 by Sam Casey, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“Everybody works hard and plays hard. We’re all very close.”

The company’s shop at Westbourne Road, in Marsh, was open yesterday, but a sign told customers there was limited opening “due to unforeseen circumstances.”

The shop at Bethel Street in Brighouse was closed.

Mr Easby said the company, which has a smaller factory in Brighouse, would await the results of investigations by police and the Health and Safety Executive before deciding what to do next.

“We will contact staff and ask them what they want to do from this point,” he said.

“We won’t be doing anything until next week at the earliest, but at some point we have to move on.”

Keith Robinson, group manager for West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, described the scene after fire crews arrived yesterday.

He said: “There were seven employees in the building at the time of the explosion.

“Six of those escaped, one with quite serious injuries, but unfortunately one person was still inside who was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The roof had collapsed and it was total carnage inside the building.

“We knew where the persons were. We could see them, but we had to make sure it was safe before we moved them, so we didn’t cause a further roof collapse.

“It’s too early to say what has caused the incident.”

Police and the Health and Safety Executive are involved in investigating what happened.

Mr Robinson added: “It’s a major tragedy at this time of year, we never want this kind of thing to happen.

“It does appear to have been a tragic accident.

“Our thoughts and sincere condolences go out to all the seven people involved, but in particular the person who has lost their life.”

Supt Tim Forber of West Yorkshire Police said: “West Yorkshire Police responded to a call at about 5.20am to reports of an explosion.

“We worked with the fire service, urban search and rescue and the ambulance service to facilitate search and rescue.

“An investigation is now under way to establish the cause and we are working with the Health and Safety Executive to do that.”

A spokesman for Northern Gas Networks, which sent engineers to the incident, said: “We were called in to support the emergency services after initial reports of an explosion.

“We were able to isolate the supply to the factory itself, but did not have to cut supplies to any other properties in the area.

“Our engineers carried out thorough safety checks for any gas leaks and the area is completely safe. We will be working with the emergency services and the HSE.”