Years before the tragic explosion that claimed the lives of four workers at a water treatment plant, concerns regarding a “perfect explosive mixture” were raised. These reports, disclosed in a recent investigation by BBC West, highlighted serious safety issues at the Wessex Water Avonmouth plant located near Bristol. These concerns, initially brought to the attention of the company five years before the fatal incident, emphasized the potential risks faced by personnel due to unsafe conditions at the site.
The reports, penned by a consultant who assessed the plant in 2014 and 2015, pointed out various areas of concern, including digesters, gas holders, and biogas pipework. The detailed warnings explicitly mentioned the threat of an explosion and raised significant alarms about the safety measures in place at the plant. Despite the reports being over a decade old, Wessex Water confirmed that the issues outlined had been addressed, although they claimed the incidents were unrelated to the fatal explosion in 2020.
An individual familiar with the site and the reports underscored the gravity of the situation, expressing regret over the lack of a response from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Following failed attempts to contact the HSE, he decided to shed light on the potential causes of the catastrophic explosion, stressing the preventable nature of the tragedy. The concerns outlined in the reports, ranging from a “perfect explosive mixture” to corroded pressure valves, painted a concerning picture of the hazardous environment present at the plant.
While investigations into the explosion were inconclusive and a criminal probe was later dropped, questions linger about
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