Family critical after man's death

The family of a man who died after a sugar factory explosion has said he would still be alive if more 'care and attention' had been paid to equipment. Robert Howe, 52, was showered with hot coals when a boiler exploded at British Sugar's Allscott factory on 2 March 2003. He died the following day from severe burns and multiple organ failure. An inquest jury recorded a verdict of accidental death and highlighted several failings over the boiler's maintenance. Mr Howe's family said the past five years had been 'long and distressing.' The jury's narrative verdict said corrosion of boiler pipes had gone unreported and criticised the training and supervision given to a man who fitted a misaligned soot blower. This had caused corrosion to a pipe which led to the explosion, the jury concluded. The corrosion on the pipe had been spotted when it was inspected in 2002, but this had not been reported. In a statement released though solicitors, his family said: 'The family feel that had there been more care and attention to prevent the failings leading up to this tragic incident, Mr Robert Howe, a British Sugar worker, would not have lost his life. The whole family have been devastated by the events surrounding Robert's death and would like to emphasise that it is impossible for them to put their feelings into words.' Mr Howe's daughter, Kristy Howe, 29, wept as the verdict was announced and cried 'yes' as the failure to shut down the boiler was included as an exacerbating factor. Martin Oversall, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said after the inquest that inquiries into a possible prosecution were ongoing. 'The HSE liaised earlier with the family about this,' he said. 'This process will be completed as quickly as possible.' British Sugar has had other deaths and serious injuries at its facilities in recent years (Risks 214). Six months after Mr Howe's death, 40-year-old David Reed died in a fall at the same Allscott plant.