Chunnel rail deaths ruled an accident

Locomotive shunter Darren Brown, 40, died at the scene while train driver Douglas Lynch, 50, died four days later at a specialist burns unit.

The men were involved in the construction of the second phase of the Channel Tunnel high-speed rail link, connecting Cheriton, near Folkestone, to St Pancras station in London.

The pair were transporting a Newag locomotive carrying materials through one of two 2.5km tunnels linking Thurrock in Essex and Swanscombe in Kent when a fire and explosion took place on August 16, 2005.

Part of the gearbox broke up and that sprayed out an aerosol of oil which ignited, leading to a catastrophic fireball lasting up to four seconds.

The force of the explosion was so great that pieces of metal blasted through the walls of the vehicle, the three-and-a-half week inquest at Gravesend Adult Education Centre was told.

Jurors heard from a series of workers critical of the engine for not being “fit for purpose”.

Drivers and shunters reported them not being powerful enough but staff were wary about complaining because of “an atmosphere of fear and intimidation”.

Officials at Newag blamed drivers for exceeding the 30 km-per-hour speed limit and rejected suggestions that the engines had difficulty getting up steep gradients.