An investigation is under way after a 50-year-old man died in an industrial incident on the grounds of Blenheim Palace. The labourer, named Andrew West, was on a pathway outside the country house in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, when a tipper truck struck him. He was crushed by the heavy goods vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene.
Police and HSE launch inquiry
Thames Valley Police said in a statement: “We are working with the Health and Safety Executive to investigate a fatal industrial incident at Blenheim Palace on October 14. We were called at around 1pm that day following an incident involving a tipper truck in the palace grounds.”
The statement added: “A 50-year-old man sadly died at the scene; a specially trained police officer is supporting his family at this difficult time.” No arrests have been made.
Palace expresses condolences
Dominic Hare, chief executive of the 12,000-acre Blenheim Palace, said: “We are deeply saddened by the death of a man who was working for a contractor on a construction site on the wider Blenheim estate on Wednesday, October 14. Our heartfelt condolences are with his family, friends and colleagues at this extremely difficult time.”
He added: “We are supporting Thames Valley Police and the Health and Safety Executive with their investigation, and it would not be appropriate to comment further while that continues.”
Inquest opened into death
An inquest into Mr West’s death was opened by Nicholas Graham at Oxfordshire Coroner’s Court. Mr West, from Moreton-in-Marsh, was discovered unresponsive underneath the truck and identified by colleagues. A postmortem determined crushing as his cause of death, with the circumstances currently unexplained.
Blenheim Palace recently completed its “most ambitious restoration project to date,” with £12 million spent over two years re-leading and re-slating nearly an acre of the 300-year-old Baroque roof.
