Inquest hears evidence into factory deaths

The managing director of a Norwich factory where two men were killed in an explosion, has been giving evidence at their inquests.

Stephen Kidd was advised by his legal representative not to answer several of the questions posed by Coroner Yvonne Blake.

56-year-old Barry Joy and 28-year-old Daniel Timbers died when fire broke out in the paint spray booth at Harford Attachments on July 13, 2015. The firm manufactures and paints buckets for diggers.

Mr Kidd was asked whose idea was it to put the spray booth in the factory. He declined to answer.

He was aware of a report about safety concerns at the factory but was advised not to answer when questioned about whether those concerns had been addressed.

Earlier, Daniel Timbers' father told the jury about electrical problems at the factory prior to the tragedy.

Nick Timbers said the lights would regularly go out in the spray booth where he was working. He recalled they would trip about three to four times a week.

Mr Timbers senior should have been in the booth that day but had a bad back, so his son was standing in for him.

He told the inquest jury that the company was told about the electrical issues but as far as he was concerned nothing was done, although it had said it would look into them.

Mr Timbers said as far as he was aware there had been no risk assessment of the spray booth.

He was also concerned that a waste drum was in the booth in close proximity to the welding unit. In every other place he had worked, it was always located outside.

The jury has been told there has been no paint spraying at the factory since the deaths.

This was the fifth day of the inquests which are likely to last for the rest for the week.