npower halts recovery works at Didcot

Energy firm npower has decided to halt works to recover the bodies of three men who were killed when Didcot power station collapsed. The incident took place in February, killing […]

Energy firm npower has decided to halt works to recover the bodies of three men who were killed when Didcot power station collapsed.

The incident took place in February, killing four people.

The company said it has stopped the search because contractors have reached a 50-metre “exclusion zone” which means the remainder of the structure is considered unstable.

It added: “Sadly, this means that, until the remaining standing structure can be safely brought down, we have restricted access to the recovery area.

“We understand that the time it is taking to recover these men is deeply distressing for their families and we are in contact with them. Our absolute priority is to recover their loved ones as quickly and as safely as possible.”

npower has been criticised by families for the delay in recovering the bodies.

Earlier this week, Sarah Champion, MP for Rotherham addedfamilies now have another agonising wait due to the decision”.

She stated in a blog post: “There is no guarantee that the building won’t fall on the existing rubble, burying the men still further. It’s quite possible that the remaining standing structure could also collapse out of the blue – making laying the necessary explosives inside it probably the most dangerous demolition job ever undertaken. Finally, the worst possible scenario is that the building does not completely collapse – which would prevent any future search.”

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