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Fighting firework fires while ignoring good advice
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:56 am
by spot
A fireworks factory owner and his son have been convicted of the manslaughter of two firemen killed in an explosion.
BBC News - Pair jailed over firework deaths
It puzzles me that the operational directors of a company like Railtrack can go scot-free after shocking ineptitude, repeatedly ignoring safety warnings and cutting safety costs, while these two can get stitched up after total incompetence by the local fire and police services on the night of the fire. I suppose it comes down to who you know rather than what you do.
Fighting firework fires while ignoring good advice
Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2009 9:01 am
by mikeinie
spot;1273451 wrote: A fireworks factory owner and his son have been convicted of the manslaughter of two firemen killed in an explosion.
BBC News - Pair jailed over firework deaths
It puzzles me that the operational directors of a company like Railtrack can go scot-free after shocking ineptitude, repeatedly ignoring safety warnings and cutting safety costs, while these two can get stitched up after total incompetence by the local fire and police services on the night of the fire. I suppose it comes down to who you know rather than what you do.
It's not who you know, it's who you blow...
Fighting firework fires while ignoring good advice
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 1:43 am
by gmc
spot;1273451 wrote: A fireworks factory owner and his son have been convicted of the manslaughter of two firemen killed in an explosion.
BBC News - Pair jailed over firework deaths
It puzzles me that the operational directors of a company like Railtrack can go scot-free after shocking ineptitude, repeatedly ignoring safety warnings and cutting safety costs, while these two can get stitched up after total incompetence by the local fire and police services on the night of the fire. I suppose it comes down to who you know rather than what you do.
They owned the company that's the difference. Corporate manslaughter law where directors of a limited company would be liable are much talked about bit never implemented.
Fighting firework fires while ignoring good advice
Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:35 am
by spot
The link was updated yesterday - I do wish the BBC wouldn't change their stories like that. They ought to have posted a new page.Martin Winter, 52, owner of Festival Fireworks UK Ltd, since renamed Alpha Fireworks Ltd, was jailed for seven years at Lewes Crown Court. His son Nathan, 25, was jailed for five years.That's totally outrageous. The chap ought to have been awarded a medal for trying to save life, not jailed.
Seriously, the blame's been dumped on the wrong people.
BBC News - Firework blast warnings 'ignored' describes the testimony from a couple of weeks back."I asked that the hoses focus inside to soak the contents," he said. And he also asked if he could open the doors of the tube store to dampen its contents but was rebuffed by a fire officer.
Mr Winter said: "I was telling him that we needed to stop the fire getting to the container but I felt I was being ignored. His attitude was that I wasn't in a position to tell him how to do his job."
He said he continued to press the issue and gave repeated warnings, but was arrested and led away by police.