Firefighters 'face arrest' over warehouse blaze

Steve Hayes

12 February 2010

FIREFIGHTERS face being arrested over the warehouse fire in Atherstone which killed four of their colleagues, the Fire Brigades Union has said.
The union issued a statement saying three members of the fire service had received letters from Warwickshire Police telling them they must attend a police station where they would be arrested and interviewed under caution.
The FBU said the three officers were involved in the command process and face allegations of gross negligence manslaughter in relation to the deaths of Ashley Stephens, 20, John Averis, 27, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, and Ian Reid, 44.
FBU General Secretary, Matt Wrack, said he was concerned about the arrests because key players had still not been interviewed over the November 2007 fire.
He said: "It is important for the families and colleagues of those who died to establish what happened. It is important that all fire services learn all the lessons from this incident and we support that aim.
"We are concerned at the move to arrest these individuals at this stage when all other key players have not even been interviewed.
"We understand that, even two years after the deaths, all very top corporate managers - who may have critical information - have still not even been interviewed.
"Evidence from our own on-going investigation suggests there may be systemic failings. Any systemic failings within Warwickshire fire service, if they are established, would be the responsibility of the fire authority."
Warwickshire Police said the investigation was continuing and many people had been interviewed, including fire personnel and Wealmoor employees working at the plant on the day of the fire.
A spokesperson said: "We have not yet completed the interview process and expect it to continue for a number of months.
"We cannot confirm any details about personnel involved in the process."

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