Gas Fitter Charged with Endangering Health and Safety
A gas fitter is being charged after an explosion occurred. The explosion left 15 people injured and destroyed three homes. One of the individuals involved in the explosion was 75 at the time of the incident and had to fight for her life due to severe burns. The blast occurred in 2010 and the HSE conducted health and safety audits to ascertain the cause of the explosion.
Two out of five of the children in the homes were also treated for wounds. Paul Kay, the gas fitter, will be charged with a failure of ensuring the gas fitting was properly installed in 75-year-old Mrs Burns’ home. The explosion caused a ceiling to collapse on a man and harm nearby individuals due to flying glass and other debris.
Approximately 40 fire fighters handled the scene with some teams that included dogs to make certain no one was trapped. The person responsible is being charged with breaking the Health and Safety Act regulation 7(1). Paul Kay will need to appear in court in June. The charges against him were levied on Tuesday February 28, 2012 after a full investigation.
Those involved in the incident and investigations of it feel a fine will be considered and there may be jail time depending on the court ruling. Since the case will begin in court in mid-June homeowners of the incident will need to wait a little longer to find out the outcome.
