Power station demolition company from the Black Country had 'never done anything like this'
The Black Country business tasked with demolishing a defunct power station which collapsed was appointed after a 'thorough' process, despite revealing they have 'never done anything like this'.
Coleman & Company, based in Great Barr, were awarded the contract to dismantle the Didcot A site in Oxfordshire by owners RWE npower.
It comes as the family of Mike Collings, who died there, paid tribute to him, saying he had a 'huge enthusiasm for life'. Mr Collings died of multiple injuries after the building, which was being prepared for demolition, collapsed, leaving three missing and injuring five.
The family of Mr Collings, 53, who was from the Cleveland area, issued a statement through Thames Valley Police saying he was a 'much-loved husband, father, grandad, son, brother and friend'. A post-mortem that was carried out on Mr Collings has revealed he died as a result of multiple injuries.
On Tuesday at around 4pm, while workers were preparing the building for demolition, it collapsed.
Emergency services and rescue workers said it is 'highly unlikely' that the three trapped people who are missing following the incident will be found alive.
Kieran Conaty is named as the project director of the Didcot Power Station demolition in a Coleman & Company video on YouTube – detailing their involvement in the project.
In the clip posted in December, he said: "The client was made aware that this was our first power station. We've never done anything like this, but we are that type of a company that we learn to adapt and we tried to bring in some expertise."
Coleman & Company declined to comment.
