Head Of Training, The Healthy Work Company

July 18, 2016

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Search resumes at Didcot power station

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Search efforts have resumed to find the bodies of three men, who died when part of Didcot power station collapsed in February this year.

The search was halted in May when contractors reached a 50m (164ft) exclusion zone, beyond which it was considered too dangerous to continue.

Yesterday morning (Sunday 17 July) a remote demolition brought down the decommissioned site in a unique operation using remote-controlled robots. An inspection will now take place to confirm the area and debris pile is safe, and the recovery operation will resume.

RWE Npower, which owns the site, said the demolition had “gone as planned” and all of the structure was brought down.

A spokesman said: “Now the building has been brought down, an inspection has confirmed the area and debris pile are safe and our contractors have resumed the recovery operation.

“We will continue working seven days a week, 12 hours a day to help return these families’ loved ones to them as soon as possible.”

On the 23 February the boiler house at Didcot A power station partially collapsed and a major incident was declared.

Ken Cresswell, 57, and John Shaw, 61, and Chris Huxtable, 34, were trapped under rubble. The body of Michael Collings, 53, of Teesside, was recovered.

A statement on Thames Valley Police’s website, following the controlled explosion yesterday said: “The controlled explosive demolition of the remaining structure took place this morning with all of the remaining structure being brought down successfully.

“An inspection will now take place to confirm the area and debris pile is safe, and the recovery operation will resume.

“As part of the recovery operation, the site owners RWE, Brown & Mason and Alford Technologies were responsible for the remaining structure being brought down safely.

“Specialist officers are continuing to support the families of the missing men; Christopher Huxtable, Ken Cresswell and John Shaw, as well as the family of Michael Collings, whose body has already been recovered from the site.

“The absolute priority of our multi-agency response remains the recovery of the missing men so they can be returned to their families and to understand what caused this tragic incident”

Steve Hall, son-in-law of Mr Cresswell, previously said: “We want the men back in one piece, not many pieces.”

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