Inquest hears of heroic bid to rescue workman

Brian Wilkins, 48, was apparently sweeping out the chamber at a Sheffield steelworks when it was suddenly flooded with carbon dioxide gas as part of a fire-prevention system.

Mr Wilkins was entombed in the tiny cellar at Sheffield's Forgemasters plant, despite heroic attempts by workmate Trevor Pettitt to rescue him.

The Sheffield hearing was told a fire alarm had been "wired out" and failed to go off, giving Mr Wilkins no chance to escape from the cellar which was just 5ft 6ins high and about 12ft wide.

Mr Pettitt, an electrician at the Brightside Lane site, said he did not know the wiring to the sensor had been altered. The fire prevention system was activated when a second alarm went off releasing pressurised carbon dioxide, which is not toxic, but displaces the oxygen in the air, making it impossible to breathe.

The electrician told an inquest in Sheffield yesterday: "It doesn't make any sense."

Mr Wilkins, a maintenance workman, of Shiregreen, Sheffield, who was separated from his wife Yvonne, was pronounced dead at hospital on May 30, 2008.

The cellar lies beneath an electricity sub-station and can only be entered through a hatch and down a ladder. Mr Wilkins had apparently gone down the hatch after Mr Pettitt had gone for some oxygen sensors and a danger permit to allow them to work in the confined space.

He was away for less then 10 minutes when he heard a sound coming from the sub-station "sounding like a jet engine going off" and ran over.

Mr Pettitt told the inquest: "I saw the hatch cover off and the ladder down it. I felt sure Brian had obviously gone down there. I started shouting for Brian but got no response."

He went into the cylinder room and tried to shut off the carbon dioxide supply while still shouting for Mr Wilkins.

He said: "I went back to the hatch. He was nowhere to be seen. I took a deep breath and climbed down the ladder. I tried to feel for him with my feet.

"I couldn't see him. There was a white cloud like mist. I realised the carbon dioxide was still escaping and was feeling a bit faint and came up. Then the mist cleared and I could see Brian.

"I went down again to see if I could pull him towards the ladder but I couldn't manage it."

He hailed a passing workman and together they pulled Mr Wilkins nearer the ladder before they had to get out.

The company's chief electrician Rod Middlemass then tried to put some slings around Mr Wilkins before he was forced back. He succeeded at his second attempt and Mr Wilkins was hauled to the surface.

No evidence has yet been given to the inquest as to what set off the system.

The inquest, which is due to last a fortnight, continues.