Coleman searches for cause of Didcot tragedy

British demolition firm Coleman & Company has said it is working with the emergency services to establish why part of the boiler house at the former Didcot A Power Station collapsed yesterday.

The incident, which took place just after 4pm, resulted in one fatality and five people being taken to hospital.

A press statement by the Birmingham-based business said that three people are currently unaccounted for.

The full statement was as follows: “We can confirm that shortly after 4pm this afternoon [February 23] part of the Boiler House at the former Didcot A Power Station site in Oxfordshire collapsed.

“It is with great sadness that we understand that there has been one fatality, five people have been taken to hospital and three people are currently missing and unaccounted for. Our thoughts are with the families of all those involved in this tragedy.

“We will provide updates as we receive them.

“We are working with the emergency services who are currently on site to locate those missing and understand the cause of this collapse.”

Didcot A closed in 2013 after more than 40 years in operation, and its iconic cooling towers were demolished the following year.