Baker David Cole died at Andrew Jones' pie factory after build up of gas in a 30-year-old oven

Nov 6 2010 By Joanne Douglas

A FATHER killed in a blast at a pie factory died  because the wrong bolts were fixed to an oven.

Baker David Cole (pictured) died after a  build up of gas in a 30-year-old oven at the Andrew Jones Pie Factory on April 10 last year.

An inquest heard yesterday that gas to the equivalent of 20 domestic hob rings built up every time staff at the factory, on Old  Leeds Road, tried to ignite the  oven.

And it’s been said they tried to light the oven between 10 and 20  times, with more gas building up inside the chamber each time.

But when it exploded, the  ‘safety’ explosion relief panel  failed to act as it should have done.

Experts said the gas was unable  to leave by the panel behind the oven as it was screwed with steel  bolts instead of soft, flexible brass  bolts.

It meant the explosion fired  out of the front of the oven door, where Mr Cole, 37, was standing.

However, due to an 11-year gap in service reports, it’s not known why or when the wrong bolts were fitted. Peter Cane, service manager for manufacturers Double D, said inspectors were not required to check the bolts as part of its service.

A jury inquest found that David Cole, of Salterhebble, Halifax, died of an accidental death. He leaves wife Susan, as well as two children.

It was revealed at the inquest at Bradford Crown Court that the oven was installed in 1979. Until  2004 it was owned by Pennine  Meats  and was bought by Andrew Jones when he took over  the factory in 2005.

Double D maintained the oven until 1984, then again from 1992 until 2001 and from 2004 until  2005 when Acrivan took over its  maintenance.

However, service records for  the remaining 11 years are unaccounted for.