Campaign group set up after crane disaster

Following the collapse of a crane in Thessaly Rd, Battersea where two people lost their lives, families of the deceased, residents and supporters have formed the Battersea Crane Disaster Action Group (BCDAG). The group has a list of demands including inspection of the wrecked crane by an independent expert and for a code of practice on crane safety

On September 26th at a construction site next to the Thessaly Rd estate a 50m crane collapsed onto a block of residential flats killing the crane driver, Jonathan Cloke, 37 from Guildford and local man Michael Alexa, 23 who was working on his car in the street outside his mum’s home. Michael's body was trapped under the collapsed crane and was left there for five days until the body could be moved safely. Michael’s parents, who live just yards from the scene, are demanding answers. Mum Liliana, said: "We are devastated. His body was out there in the street for all that time. We know they were doing an investigation but don’t they understand how awful it was to have my son down there? I wanted to go and sleep on the street next to him."

 Michael had two children and was a member of the Transport and General Workers Union. Since the deaths residents have organised a candlelight vigil, which hundreds attended. Local people said the noise of the crane collapse was like a bomb going off followed by a massive dust cloud. The crane collapsed on a block of flats on top of shops, smashing out windows in the surrounding area. Twenty five flats and maisonettes were initially evacuated for several days. The construction site is being developed by Barratts and the crane was hired from Norfolk company, Falcon Crane Hire.

Residents are also upset as work on the site did not stop on the day of Michael's funeral. Following the disaster a public meeting was called and supported by local residents, South London Action on Safety and Health (SLASH), Battersea and Wandsworth Trades Council (BWTUC), Construction Safety Campaign (CSC), police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Over sixty people attended including John Cloake's widow who travelled from Guildford, Michael's mother and girlfriend. The group are now holding regular committee meetings to plan further action and Battersea TUC and the Construction Safety Campaign are giving support.

Julia Brandreth of BWTUC said: "The trades council organized this public meeting to give families of the bereaved and residents the opportunity to raise their concerns together. It’s outrageous that no other body involved in the case have given residents this opportunity." At the meeting, solicitor Louise Christian said: "Having an independent expert means the families will have someone representing them involved in the investigation." Head of construction at HSE, Louise Brearey, said she did not have a problem with this. Residents at the meeting were outraged that their questions about the history of the crane could not be answered by the panel of speakers including representatives from the HSE and the police.

One angry neighbour of the site said: "If I had an accident in my car the police would know in five minutes if the car had an MOT or not." Louise Breary, of HSE's construction division, said: "We don't know what caused the accident but we intend to find out. I haven't got the exact age of the crane but I believe it was quite an old one. And that will obviously be part of the investigation."

The disaster has also been mentionedin parliament with local MP Martin Linton calling for a debate on crane safety. Mr Linton told MPs that a debate on crane safety would “allow the Work and Pensions Secretary to report on the number of fatal accidents and to review "the need for more safety precautions to protect not only the people who work on cranes but the many people living next to building sites who now look nervously at the huge cranes towering over them."

Following the disaster and another high profile collapse in the City of London, the crane drivers group, The United Crane Operators Association, called for passports which include 'sell by dates' on all cranes. They said there are many cranes over 40 years old still in operation and their components have been under working stress every working day. They feel the current safety inspection regime is too lax.

BCDAG's demands

For information on other health and safety issues visit the London Hazards Centre web site at: www.lhc.org.uk

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