Atherstone Fire Trial

An expert witness has told the trial of two senior firefighters that they didn't make a mistake by sending four colleagues who later died into a burning building.

Roger Day was asked by prosecuting counsel, Richard Matthews QC, at Stafford Crown Court if there were any danger signs which should have prevented the senior fire officers sending their colleagues into a warehouse in Atherstone on Stour in Warwickshire in 2007.

My Day said there were no signs that should have stopped firefighters going in.

Richard Matthews QC asked him: None of the senior fire officers made a mistake by sending the fire fighters in?

Mr Day replied, yes.

Four fire-fighters died as a result of the blaze - John Averis, Ian Reid, Darren Yates Badley and Ashley Stevens.

Two senior fire officers - Timothy Woodward and Adrian Ashley are on trial over their deaths. They are charged with manslaughter by gross negligence. They were incident commanders on the night of the fire.

They deny the charges.

A third senior fire officer, Paul Simmons, was acquitted of the same charges on the direction of the judge in the trial earlier this week.

The trial was told earlier that the fire crews had the wrong equipment - the hoses they were using were too narow, according to the prosecution.

But Mr Day told the trial today that he thought it was acceptable for them to go into the building with hose reels but may have needed to change to larger jets.

The trial continues.