Workman suffocated by gas after alarm failed, says inquest jury

Brian Wilkins was cutting a disused electricity cable at Sheffield Forgemasters when the cellar was suddenly flooded with carbon dioxide, making it impossible to breathe, after smoke from his cutting gear apparently triggered a fire prevention system.

The 48-year-old became entombed in the electricity sub-station cellar, which was only 5ft 6in high and about 12ft wide, despite his workmate Trevor Pettitt descending a ladder four times to try and rescue him.

The jury decided an internal bell triggered by sensors was not working and gave Mr Wilkins no chance to escape before carbon dioxide came flooding in.

In recording a narrative verdict at the end of an eight-day inquest, jurors said they believed Mr Wilkins was aware of the risks of the fire prevention system and he had been trained to isolate it.

The inquest heard that, years previously, outside contractors had routinely disconnected the bell when they became fed-up with it ringing during checks.

Mr Wilkins, a father-of-three from Shiregreen, Sheffield, who was separated from his wife Yvonne, was pronounced dead in hospital.

He was dragged out of the underground cellar, which can only be entered through a hatch and a ladder, on May 30, 2008.

Colleague Trevor Pettitt said: "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 down and tried to shut off the CO2 supply while still shouting for sub-station attendant Mr Wilkins.

Mr Pettitt 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 CO2 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."

Mr Pettitt and a passing workman pulled Mr Wilkins nearer the ladder before they had to get out. Supervisor Rod Middlemass then managed to put slings around Mr Wilkins after two attempts and he was hauled to the surface where he was given CPR by Mr Pettitt, who said: "He was moaning but I don't know whether he was with us."

The hearing was told the fire prevention system replaced the air with inert carbon dioxide making it impossible to breathe.

Coroner Chris Dorries told the inquest at Sheffield's Medico Legal Centre that a new system was now in place to prevent such a tragedy happening again.

After the verdict, Mr Wilkins' youngest son Chris said: "It just proves that it shouldn't have happened. If they had that in place to start with my dad might have had a chance to get out."