Deaths of father and son in building collapse were accidental

A coroner has ruled that the deaths of two construction workers who fell from a building in Liverpool were accidental.

David Bottomley, 53, and his son Clayton, 17, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, died when their work platform fell 14 storeys at the Unity Building in Liverpool on May 19, 2021.

Both were working on the exterior of the structure, on Rumford Place, on the 21st floor.

Mr Bottomley died at the scene while his apprentice son was taken to Aintree University Hospital, where he died four days later.

Witnesses earlier told the hearing how they saw the pair fall during a busy day in the city centre.

The inquiry found there was a failure in the brakes on the work platform, which was used to allow workers to climb up and down the outside of the building from the seventh floor upwards.

Assistant Coroner Johanna Thompson said a daily and weekly check was completed in accordance with the checklist provided, which included “visual and functional” checks of switches.

They were completed the week of the incident and identified no problems with the equipment.

However, the coroner said a gearbox fault caused the brakes to disconnect before another technical fault caused the mast climbing work platform to lower under its own weight.

Both deaths were recorded as accidents.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, Xand Instagram. You can also submit story ideas to [email protected]

Related Internet Links