Huge gas explosion sent contractor flying through the air – company fined | United Kingdom | News

A company has been fined following a huge gas explosion caught on CCTV which sent a worker flying through the air – but left him miraculously unharmed.

Elliot Kirk was building a fence on a farm at Wessington, near Alfreton, Derby, when he was swept away by the force of the explosion.

Incredible footage shows the contactor flipping to safety after the mechanical knocker it was using hit an underground gas pipe.

Cadent firefighters and engineers rushed to the scene to secure the area as gas leaked from the ruptured pipe, leading to the evacuation of 30 homes.

The dramatic scenes on June 21, 2022, were captured on security cameras by a resident who said Kirk walked away completely unharmed but “a little shaken up.”

Belper Skip Hire Limited and contractor Kirk have both been fined for health and safety breaches at Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the explosion caused the release of more than two million kilograms of gas, putting nearby homes at risk of fire and explosion.

The court heard that Kirk, from Nottingham, installed a fence around Belper Skip Hire Limited’s farm in Brackenfield Lane after being hired by the company.

He was using a mechanical post knocker to install the fence when the explosion occurred.

The HSE investigation found the company, based in Derby, was aware of the location of the gas pipe.

Cadent had also told them, a month before the explosion, that no ground penetration work should be carried out nearby.

However, the company did not pass this information on to Kirk and allowed the work to continue.

Kirk failed to obtain underground service drawings and “took no further steps” to verify whether the main gas pipe was underground.

Belper Skip Hire Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £26,667 and ordered to pay costs of £3,173.

Kirk pleaded guilty to breaching building regulations and was fined £800 and ordered to pay £3,173 in costs.

HSE inspector Sinead Martin later said Kirk and Belper Skip Hire “failed in their duties” and put Kirk and local residents at “serious risk”.

She added: “It is extremely fortunate that this incident did not result in any serious injuries; if the gas had ignited, the resulting explosion would have been catastrophic.

“Before work begins, contractors must take appropriate measures to check for the presence of underground services.

“Commercial clients have a duty to provide contractors with all relevant pre-construction information in their possession to enable them to manage risks.”

Alan Brown, 62, a married father of two and business director, filmed the shocking footage on his security cameras at the time.

Speaking previously, he said: “We were on holiday in the Cotswolds at the time, I had arranged for my two boys to water the garden.

“My wife and I were coming out of John Lewis and one of my boys called and said he couldn’t water the garden because the whole street was blocked off.

“He said there were fire trucks everywhere and there had been a gas explosion, so we left our hotel and bombed our house.

“My wife Kim’s new car was on the road and covered in dirt and rocks. Fortunately, it wasn’t too damaged.

“I looked at the CCTV footage and just thought, ‘Jesus Christ.’ The sound of the explosion was unbelievable.

“He’s a very lucky guy. He was perfectly fine but visibly a little shaken. I can’t believe he escaped unscathed, it must have been a shock.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this, but luckily no one was hurt.”