Sonae fatal incident raised in parliamentary debate

Prime minister David Cameron has expressed his condolences to the families of two workers killed at the Sonae chipboard factory on Tuesday.

Mr Cameron was responding to a question by Knowsley MP George Howarth about the incident during prime minister’s questions yesterday.

Mr Howarth invited the prime minister in joining him in expressing his condolences and asked if necessary action will be taken when the health and safety and police investigations have been completed.

“I certainly join the right honourable gentleman [Mr Howarth] in what he says about his constituents and the dreadful accident that took place,” the prime minster said.

“It is important we have procedures in place for the Health and Safety Executive and others to investigate these issues, and, as he says, they should follow the evidence wherever it leads.”

The 25-year-old and 27-year-old workers were employed by sub-contractor Metso, which maintains and repairs machinery at Sonae’s Knowsley factory. They died in an incident on Tuesday believed to be involving machinery, during a planned maintenance shutdown.

Following a meeting between emergency services, Merseyside Police said the scene was still sealed off and would remain so until all relevant evidence had been gathered.

“Industrial operations at the site have been suspended and will remain so for now,” said senior investigating officer, detective inspector Tom Keaton.

“We are in the early stages of what will be a very thorough and detailed investigation into the deaths of these two men, and my thoughts are with their families.”