Father's fury over Corus charges

Prosecution after Corus explosion

The father of one of three men killed in a steelworks explosion says he is angry the Health and Safety Executive has brought only two prosecutions.

Steel firm Corus faces charges under safety legislation over the 2001 explosion at its Port Talbot works.

Mike Hutin, whose son Andrew Hutin was killed, said he found the HSE inquiry's conclusions "incredible".

Corus said it could not comment as it did not wish to prejudice proceedings.

Criminal prosecution

Three workers were killed and another nine were badly injured when blast furnace number five exploded at Port Talbot steelworks on 8 November, 2001.

To say that we're angry really is an understatement Mike Hutin

Len Radford, 53, from Maesteg, Stephen Galsworthy, 25, from Port Talbot, and Andrew Hutin, 20, also from Port Talbot, died after the explosion.

An inquest in Swansea last year ended in verdicts of accidental death.

Corus UK Ltd was told on Wednesday it would face criminal prosecution by the HSE for breaches of health and safety law, following the conclusion of its investigation into the explosion at the furnace.

Mike Hutin said he wanted safety for steelworkers improved

The first charge alleges the company did not ensure the safety of its employees and the second charge alleges it did not ensure contractors were not exposed to risks to their safety.

The details of the charges were announced to the families of the three men killed at Port Talbot Police Station on Wednesday night.

Afterward Mike Hutin, Andrew Hutin's father, said he was "furious" that just two charges had been brought.

He added: "I find it absolutely incredible that it's taken this long to come to the conclusion that they have.

"They've said that it's been a complex investigation, but nonetheless I would have assumed that they would have come to a decision far before this.

"To say that we're angry really is an understatement.

"I just cannot see how the HSE would have come to this decision."

The explosion happened at Corus' Port Talbot works in 2001

Mr Hutin said that the families' campaign aimed to improve safety for steelworkers.

He said: "I see myself as fighting not just for Andrew but for every person that works in a blast furnace, not only in this country but throughout the world.

"Unless we get truth and get justice for what happened that day how can we possibly safeguard the working decisions in the future?"

Corus previously admitted civil liability for the Port Talbot explosion, while in August 2005, a jury at an inquest into the deaths of the three steelworkers returned verdicts of accidental death.

The first hearing of the HSE case is scheduled for 12 April at Neath Magistrates' Court.

In a statement, Corus said it did not wish to prejudice the outcome of the legal process.